Tomorrow is National Tequila Day, a holiday dedicated to celebrating this great spirit in its many forms. Whether your drink of choice is a margarita, a tequila sunrise or a shot (with a lime and salt, of course), raise your glass and make a toast to the liquor that made them all possible!
To help you celebrate, here are a few recipes that put a slight twist on classic tequila cocktails. But first, brush up on some tequila trivia and see why this popular liquid truly deserves its own day.
- Tequila is made from the blue agave plant, found only in Mexico. Despite popular belief, it is not a cactus and is actually related to asparagus!
- It takes about 8-12 years for the blue agave plant to mature enough that it can be harvested, and they can weigh almost 200 pounds!
- Mexico exports almost 44 million gallons of tequila a year, with about 80% of bottles coming to the U.S.
- There are two categories of tequila, 100 % blue agave and Mixto, which contains at least 51% blue agave.The categories can then be broken down into five basic types:
1. Silver (Blanco)– clear, typically un-aged
2. Gold (Joven)– colorants or flavorings added or a blend of two other types
3. Reposado– aged 2-11 months
4. Anejo– darker, amber color, aged for at least a year
5. Extra Anejo– aged more than three years
Sour Applerita
2 oz tequila
2 oz apple schnapps
2 oz apple juice
1 oz sweet and sour mix
Apple wedge for garnish
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake to blend. Pour into an ice-filled glass, garnish with an apple wedge and enjoy!
Prickled in Pink
3 oz tequila
1/2 oz orange liqueur
1 1/2 oz lime juice
2 oz prickly pear syrup
Orange slice for garnish
Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake to blend. Strain into your favorite cocktail glass and garnish with an orange slice.
Straight Breeze
2 oz tequila
1 1/4 oz lime sparkling water
1 oz Lime juice
Lime wheel for garnish
Salt to rim the glass (optional)
Pour all ingredients into an ice-filled glass, stir, sip and savor!
