Tonight it was margaritas made with Jose Cuervo Citrico. I usually shy away from buying any high priced brand if I’m going to be making a mixed drink, but the JC Citrico was on sale for a really good price, so I gave it a shot. It does make a really smooth ‘rita with a little extra lime oomph. I like it. Maybe there is something to using the good stuff in mixed drinks after all.

My ‘rita recipe:

1) MinuteMaid Limeade (large size) with 3 cans of water added instead of the recommended 4-1/3. This is the mixer.

2) Add a good couple of shots of tequila and a shot of triple sec over a good amount of ice and fill remainder with mixer.

3) Squeeze a lime section and drop it in, then stir. Enjoy.

For frozen ‘ritas:

Fill a blender 3/4 with ice, add the container of limeade and a good portion of tequila and tripl sec. For a starting point, try filling the limeade container half full with tequila, then add triple sec to 3/4 full. Dump into the blender. Next time, adjust the tequila and triple sec to taste. Blend thoroughly until pourable. Personally I don’t like a salted rim, but if you do like it, use coarse sea salt or dedicated ‘rita salt. And remember to salt the rim before you fill the glass.

After a year and a half away, I’m back at it. I’ve decided  to take this blog in a slightly different direction. I’ll be talking about all drink recipes and reviewing some wines and beers. No sense painting with just one brush, eh?

Tonight I made up some White Sangria. It’s a recipe told to me by the staff at Escobar’s, an excellent restaurant in Champaign, IL. You start with ice, lots of fruit (I used lemon, lime, orange, and strawberry), a couple shots of peach schnapps, and fill with Riesling wine. Vary the sweetness by adding more or less schnapps. It’s very refreshing but also fairly strong. Nearly a full glass of wine and two shots of schnapps. You can also make it by the pitcher for a group. Add everything except the ice and let it sit in the fridge for a while. If you add the ice too soon, it melts and dilutes the sangria. Wait until you’re about to serve it before adding the ice. Experiment with it first to find the right balance of schapps and wine. It’s a great drink for a cookout.