International Tequila Day is July 24! Celebrate this Sunday Funday with family and friends with a variety of refreshing drinks.
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Tequila is a spirit from Mexico, dating back thousands of years to the Aztecs when it was in the form of a milky, fermented drink known as pulque. This drink, which used the sap of the agave plant and is used to make tequila today, was worshipped by the Aztecs. So much so, in fact, that two gods were attributed to it: Mayahuel, a female divinity, (naturally), and Patecatl, the god of healing and fertility and the husband of Mayahuel. A cocktail couple to rival Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, no doubt.
Fast-forward to the Spanish conquest, when Spanish troops expedited the tequila we know today by improvising with mud and agave. From this, mezcal was created. In the mid-16th century, the trade between Mexico and Spain launched the first major tequila distillery in Tequila, a town in Jalisco, Mexico.
In 1974, Mexico claimed intellectual property of the term “tequila,” which is why it must be made and aged in specific areas of Mexico in the same way France safeguards its native Appellation d’origine contrôlée system.
And now, in 2016, bars and restaurants everywhere have fallen back in love with tequila, which is a must-serve cocktail at parties, events and, of course, on International Tequila Day!
Here are some creative tequila recipes to celebrate National Tequila Day:
Twisted Bocktail
Just as its name suggests, this beer cocktail highlights a refreshing twist by combining Tres Agaves Reposado’s wonderfully fresh taste with lemon and a splash of Hefeweizen.
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 parts Tres Agaves Reposado
- 3/4 part lemon
- 1/2 part Cointreau
- 1/2 part simple syrup Hefeweizen
Directions
- Combine all ingredients minus the beer.
- Shake, and strain into a highball.
- Top with beer, and garnish with lemon.
Green with Envy
Cruz Tequila’s smooth and soft palate complements the tart yet fresh concoction that has just the right pinch of heat to tantalize your senses in the heat of July.
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 parts Cruz Reposado Tequila
- 3/4 part lime
- 3/4 part honey water
- 2 to 3 pieces green pepper
- Dash of cayenne
Directions
- Shake, and strain into a lowball glass rimmed with a cayenne.
- Sea salt and white pepper rim.
Maestro Dobel Diamante Lemon Margarita
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ice
- 8 ounces Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila
- 2 ounces of fresh lemon juice
- 4 oz Agavero Orange Liqueur
- 1 lemon wheel
Directions
- Add ice, Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila, lemon juice and Agavero.
- Stir vigorously.
- Serve in a cocktail glass with ice and a lemon wheel for garnish.
Bazaar Bloody Maria
Ice Cube Ingredients
- Red tomatoes and a pinch of Piri Piri
- Orange tomatoes and habanero
- Yellow tomatoes and saffron
- Green tomatoes and za’atar, a spice that is a mix of salt and sesame seeds
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 ounces water
Directions
- Blend ingredients together well, and strain for seeds.
- Make the Bloody Maria ice cubes in advance, and freeze each color individually.
How to make the drink:
Drink Ingredients
- 2 ounces Patron Reposado
- 3/4 ounces lemon juice
- 3 dashes Bittermans hellfire bitters
- 5 dashes horseradish tincture
Directions
- In a highball glass, crush 1 to 2 Bloody Maria ice cubes of each tomato color.
- Fill the highball with ice, layering by color.
- In a glass, combine 2 oz Patron Reposado, lemon juice, bitters and horseradish tincture.
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