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Cazadores Blanco

Mixed Citrus Margaritas for Margarita Day Learn to make a squash syrup (no, not the vegetable!)

February 21, 2020 by elana Leave a Comment

Mixed Citrus Margarita // stirandstrain.comThis post was made in partnership with Tequila Cazadores. Recipes and ideas are my own.

We have a tangelo tree in our backyard. It’s the only citrus tree that has not succumbed to years of neglect in the jungle outside our backdoor; it is tenacious to say the least. This year, after finally cutting back the honeysuckle that was blocking most of the sunlight from hitting its leaves, it produced an insane amount of fruit. Smaller than what we’ve got in years past, but abundant. It’s not a fruit I like to sit and just eat, so I make things like Tangelo-cello out of it, or use it in syrups, or just put in a box marked “free” in my driveway and pass on the burden to my neighbors.

Mixed Citrus Margarita // stirandstrain.comLast month I wrote about making squash, a syrup whose liquid content is comprised primarily of juice, for Simply Recipes. And that got me thinking about juice content in Margaritas. Now, a straight up Margarita with just enough lime juice is a beautiful thing, but sometimes I like to change it up with flavors. My biggest pet peeve though in restaurants and bars is when they up charge you for a fancy Margarita in a big ass glass and what you realize you’ve gotten is mostly orange juice with a teeny tiny amount of tequila in it. Blarg!

Mixed Citrus Margarita // stirandstrain.comWhat I wanted to do here is recreate some of those sweet and flavorful citrus notes without watering down my Margarita to the point of making it a breakfast drink. That’s when I thought that a squash syrup might work in this case. And then I could celebrate National Margarita Day on February 22 with a big batch of these! Oh yeah, it’s that wonderful time of the year already!

As many of you know, we partnered with Tequila Cazadores, an authentic Mexican tequila brand, last year because we have been big fans of this tequila for years and love their commitment to sustainability and ethical business practices. We’re using their Blanco expression here for this Margarita, made with 100% blue agave, because of its clean taste and soft finish. It doesn’t fight with the other ingredients, but also doesn’t get lost in the flavors. It’s just a straight up delicious tequila.

Mixed Citrus Margarita // stirandstrain.comLike I mentioned above, a squash uses a high ratio of juice to water in making a syrup. So, you can do 4:1 juice to water, or 1:1 juice to sugar with no water, something like that. Then you either shake it up until the sugar dissolves (cold process), or warm your mixture until the sugar dissolves (hot process). Today I went a step further and reduced the syrup down almost by half to get a thick, viscous syrup to use in drinks. By doing this, it’s the consistency of a rich syrup, and there are deep, caramelized citrus flavors while still also tasting tangy and bright.

Mixed Citrus Margarita // stirandstrain.comI am using mixed citrus here since I also had a delivery of Meyer lemons from my grandparents I did not want to let go to waste. Honestly, any mix of lemons, oranges, or other citrus could be used here so feel free to experiment.

When used in this Margarita, the drink is sweet, tart, with sharp caramelized flavors from the Meyer lemon and Tangelo squash syrup. Subtle agave and grassy flavors from the Tequila Cazadores Blanco contrast with the floral hints from the lime. There is a juiciness to the flavor without tasting watered down, and a nice mouth feel from the viscosity of the syrup.

Mixed Citrus Margarita // stirandstrain.comMixed Citrus Margarita

2 ounces Tequila Cazadores Blanco
1 ounce Tangelo-Meyer Lemon Squash (see recipe below)
1/4 ounce lime juice
small pinch kosher salt

In a shaker filled 2/3 with ice, add in the Tequila Cazadores Blanco, Tangelo-Meyer Lemon Squash syrup, lime juice and small pinch of salt. Shake well 20 seconds and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Serve with a tangelo wheel.

Tangelo-Meyer Lemon Squash

1/2 cup freshly squeezed tangelo juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar

In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine both fruit juices, water, and sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once a boil is reached, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until syrup reduces by half. Depending on your stove, that can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature when finished and either use right away, or store in an airtight container in the fridge up to one month.

Mixed Citrus Margarita // stirandstrain.com

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Filed Under: Make It, Recipes Tagged With: Cazadores Blanco, lime, make it, margarita, meyer lemon, NationalMargaritaDay, shaken, tangelo, Tequila Cazadores, winter

Rey’s Rations a cocktail inspired by The Rise of Skywalker

December 20, 2019 by elana Leave a Comment

Star Wars Cocktail: Rey's Rations // stirandstrain.comStar Wars Cocktail: Rey's Rations // stirandstrain.comI have walked through Star Wars land here in Southern California many, many times now and still, when I change lands from Disney to Batuu I still cannot get over the total transformation that happens. I honestly did not think I would care one bit about it, but I do find myself, while at Disneyland, making a point to stop through that land just to take in the sights and sounds. Oh! And they have booze there too!

This is not the first movie themed cocktail on this site, although it might be the first time I ever mentioned Star Wars on here. And so today, with the opening of The Rise of Skywalker, I bring you a transformative cocktail, with that fun parlor trick of color changing drinks, to channel a little bit of Rey on here. Will the cocktail stay blue? Will it go red? Somewhere in-between with purple? Do you even know what I’m talking about? Use the force.

If you don’t, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this sweet and spicy concoction. Enjoy this cocktail you will (STOP IT ELANA YOU ARE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF).

Star Wars Cocktail: Rey's Rations // stirandstrain.comAnyways, a few things to note about this drink and why I have it on my site.

  1. No, Lucasfilm is in no way endorsing this or even knows who I am.
  2. I was inspired by Tequila Cazadores, who I am working with this year as an ambassador, but this is not a sponsored post.
  3. Instant horchata mix is YOUR FRIEND! And so you can make a single drink, or a whole bunch of them with this magic powder!
  4. If you don’t care so much about the color changing and just want to drink your drink, go ahead and shake the whole thing together and then strain. But don’t forget the cinnamon!

Creamy, with fresh vegetal notes from the tequila and peppers, it has a spicy kick with a sweet finish.
Star Wars Cocktail: Rey's Rations // stirandstrain.com

Rey’s Rations

1 ounce Spicy Blue Syrup (recipe follows)
1-1/2 ounces Tequila Cazadores Reposado
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
4 ounces horchata
freshly grated cinnamon

In a highball glass, filled with crushed ice and pour in the Spicy Blue Syrup. Set aside. In a shaker filled 2/3 with ice, shake together the Tequila Cazadores Reposado, lime juice, and horchata. Strain over the ice. Sprinkle some freshly grated cinnamon over the top. Gently stir to combine and watch the force awaken.

Spicy Blue Syrup
1-2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 chile pepper, de-stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped (Anaheim if you want less spice, Jalapeño if you want more spice)
2 bags of butterfly pea flower tea

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and chopped chile pepper. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Let sit for 8 minutes and then fine strain tea bags and chile pepper pieces. Use immediately or keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Cazadores Blanco, horchata, lime, star wars, tequila, Tequila Cazadores

Spicy Watermelon Margaritas for Two and a homemade citrus salt recipe

July 24, 2019 by elana 1 Comment

Spicy Watermelon Margarita for Two // stirandstrain.comThis post was made in partnership with Tequila Cazadores. Recipes and ideas are my own.

If berries are my favorite summer fruit, watermelons are a close second. If only they weren’t such a pain to break down! And all those seeds, ugh! But I think today I’ve found a much better work around, and it includes Margaritas… so of course I’m excited.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita for Two // stirandstrain.comWe’ve all seen those wacky watermelon kegs (ahem, I may have even enticed you to buy one on this site before too), but what if you want the watermelon experience and there’s only two of you? Get yourself a mini seedless watermelon and hollow half of it. Boom! It’s like a very convenient and way less expensive tiki bowl. Then you can use the insides of the watermelon flesh to make Spicy Watermelon Margaritas… for two of you. You don’t need to remove any seeds or even cut it into pieces. And that very recipe we have down below.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita for Two // stirandstrain.comYou know what’s also exciting? It’s National Tequila Day! Today, and maybe National Margarita Day, might be some of my very favorite drink holidays. I mean, I’m not waiting to have a Spicy Marg on just these occasions, but the reminder sure doesn’t hurt. I’ll be celebrating today with Tequila Cazadores Blanco whose 100% blue agave with its clean, smooth taste ensures that I will have the most delicious drink.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita for Two // stirandstrain.comAnd to ensure my friends also will have something delicious to drink today, I’m sending out a few tequila bags via special delivery…which would be me in my car. If you head on over to my Instagram page today you can see those bags in action, literally (go see what I mean!). In the bags I’m including some handmade citrus salt that would be so perfect with this drink if you don’t decide to use a watermelon as a drinking vessel, although I highly encourage it.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita for Two // stirandstrain.comOk! Let’s go break open some watermelons!

Spicy Watermelon Margaritas for Two

1/2 mini seedless watermelon, flesh removed and set aside
4 ounces Tequila Cazadores Blanco
2 ounces freshly pressed watermelon juice
4 chunks watermelon
1-1/2 ounces orange liqueur
1-1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
pinch of salt
3-4 slices of jalapeño
mint and lime slices for garnish

In a shaker filled with crushed ice, pour in Tequila Cazadores Blanco, watermelon juice, watermelon chunks, orange liqueur, lime juice, salt, and jalapeño slices. Shake hard 30 seconds and pour  unstrained into the hollowed out watermelon. Add more crushed ice if necessary. Garnish with mint and lime slices. Any maybe a few tiny umbrellas. Enjoy National Tequila Day!

Spicy Watermelon Margarita for Two // stirandstrain.comCitrus Salt

3-4 dried citrus wheels*
3 tablespoons kosher salt

Grind the citrus wheels in a spice or coffee grinder until fine. Run through a coarse mesh strainer to remove any larger white pith parts. Combine salt and ground citrus in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita for Two // stirandstrain.com*If you’d like to see how to make dehydrated citrus wheels, check out our DIY Story on our Instagram page!

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Cazadores Blanco, jalapeno peppers, margarita, tequila, watermelon

Jalapeño Margarita

February 22, 2019 by elana 1 Comment

Cazadores Jalapeño Margarita // stirandstrain.comThis post is brought to you by Tequila Cazadores.

Grab your cocktail shakers! It’s National Margarita Day folks!

Cazadores Jalapeño Margarita // stirandstrain.comOut of all the drink holidays out there, this is probably one of my favorites. Why? Well, who can say no to a Margarita?! Well made and they’re a perfect blend of sweet and sour, and as I mentioned earlier in the week… SO riffable. To help celebrate, I’ve teamed up with Cazadores Tequila, a recognized premium tequila since 1922, to bring you all one of my FAV variations, the Jalapeño Margarita.

Cazadores Jalapeño Margarita // stirandstrain.comCazadores has been one of my go-to tequilas for quite some time. It’s super reasonably priced but it’s also 100% blue agave—not mixed! Cazadores has five types of tequila in their portfolio: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, Extra Añejo, and Cristalino; for today’s recipe we’ll be using the Blanco (you’ll recognize the bottle by its hint of blue and the stag gracing the front). Because we’re making a mixed drink, the Blanco expression is the perfect product. It’s light, clean taste has a slightly sweet finish that highlights the agave. It also makes for a balanced cocktail so you taste all the components.

Cazadores Jalapeño Margarita // stirandstrain.comNow, I can take a bit of heat and I love the play of spicy and sweet here. That said, you can totally adjust this to your spiciness level. Want more spicy? Keep the seeds in the jalapeño slice and add two if you’d like. Just want a hint of spice? Take out the seeds and don’t garnish with a second jalapeño slice (the longer the garnish sits in your glass, the more spice it imparts to your drink! Remember that!).

Ok! Let’s shake up some cocktails! And remember, if you celebrate with one of these for #NationalMargaritaDay, remember to tag us so we can peep your creation!

Cazadores Jalapeño Margarita // stirandstrain.com

Jalapeño Margarita

Recipe Courtesy of Manny Hinojosa, Global Brand Ambassador

1-1/2 part Cazadores Tequila Blanco
1/2 part premium Triple Sec
1/2 part agave nectar
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 slice of jalapeño

Method: In a cocktail shaker with ice combine  all the ingredients, shake, and serve over the rocks in glass.

Garnish: with lime, jalapeño slice and salt optional.

Cazadores Jalapeño Margarita // stirandstrain.com

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: agave, Cazadores Blanco, drink holiday, jalapeno peppers, lime, margarita, NationalMargaritaDay, shaken, tequila, triple sec, winter

Mixology Monday: Lazy Sunday Punch

April 21, 2013 by elana 2 Comments

lazy sunday punch // stirandstrain.com

mxmologo

Sundays should be lazy. You shouldn’t have to think that far ahead in your day; events should just roll in and out. And no one judges you if you stay in your soft clothes until Monday morning. This drink came about in that lazy Sunday way. There was definitely a driving force behind it. Mixology Monday was due the next day, and clearly I had to produce something to show for it. Not to knock this month’s theme Drink Your Vegetables, hosted by Fogged In Lounge (whose blog name is so fantastic by the way). This month has just been particularly hard for posts due to outside circumstances, any other month I could have been running wild with fennel and kohlrabi and other vegetables. But here I am on Sunday with a couple cucumbers, and a blender, in my yoga pants.

Mainly when I think of cucumbers I think light, refreshing, and I wanted this drink to come off that way. And it does. It’s not very sweet, although it is sweet enough for me. There is an overwhelming taste of cucumbers, which is the point since we are highlighting veggies here, but it’s not like drinking a V-8. The citrus gives a nice sweet-tart bite, while the elderflower and rose water take away some of the ‘green-ness’ of the drink with a peppery finish from the mint. The tequila is very soft in the background, cucumbers are surprisingly overpowering in flavor. I chose to blitz it all with ice since it seemed like a perfect way to imbibe it on this warm afternoon.

If you find the need for a bit more sweetness, a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce of simple syrup should do the trick.lazysundaypunch-2

4 oz Cazadores Tequila Blanco
1-1/2 oz St. Germain
4 oz freshly squeezed oro blanco grapefruit juice (or sub white grapefruit)
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz rose water
2 small cucumbers, peeled and seeded
small handfull of mint leaves

1 cup of crushed ice
cucumber spear for garnish

Add all ingredients except ice to a blender and blend for 15 seconds to combine. Add ice and blend for another 15-20 seconds. Pour into chilled margarita glasses or oversized martini glasses. Garnish with cucumber spears.

I am just realizing that this post is also killing two birds by getting a MxMo post up and getting another round of drinks for two into the mix. Although this makes more like drinks for two and then some.

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Filed Under: Mixology Monday, Recipes Tagged With: blended, Cazadores Blanco, cinco, cucumber, Grapefruit, lime, mint, mixology monday, rose water, st. germain, tequila

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