(Originally Published 10/23/17)
The Garden Margarita cocktail is a combination of Exotico tequila, jalapeño peppers, tarragon syrup, Pernod, Ancho Reyes, lime, lemon, tarragon garnish, and a salt/sugar rim.
{photo credit: Trinity NOLA}
Back in 2017, Adam Orzechowski, the beverage director of Trinity Restaurant in New Orleans gave me a couple of recipes to help celebrate National Tequila Day.
Trinity Restaurant is now closed. But this Garden Margarita cocktail lives on. They created an amped-up margarita that you will absolutely love. In fact, in the three years, Trinity was open, it became known for having one of the better bars in New Orleans along with some imaginative dishes. Conde Nast Traveler called the restaurant the “best fancy but not fussy Creole food” spot in the Quarter. It’s a shame it didn’t last.
If you want to read more on Trinity Restaurant and its closing, you can read my other tequila-inspired article for the Placeholder cocktail recipe they also sent me.
What is a classic margarita made of?
The cocktail usually consists of only three ingredients: tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice.
It’s what the bartender can do with those three ingredients – and what they can add to it – that can elevate the drink, or the bartender, to the next level.
If you want to instantly upgrade your margarita as Trinity Restaurant did, use Exotico Tequila. It is 100% agave tequila from the hills of Jalisco Mexico.
When is National Tequila Day?
July 24 is a day tequila lovers come together and celebrate the rich history of one of the oldest drinks. It’s not just a US thing either. This day is also celebrated around the world as International Tequila Day.
The first version of tequila is believed to have been made as far back as 1000 B.C. by the Aztec civilization. Once the Spanish invaded the Aztecs in the 1500s, they learned of the drink and when their supplies of brandy began to dwindle, they began to open distilleries for tequila.
In 1795, the Cuervo family was given permission by the King of Spain to produce tequila commercially. Soon after, other families followed and tequila became hugely popular worldwide. By the time the Prohibition-era hit the USA, people flocked to Tijuana to get their tequila fix along with other drinks.
UNRELATED: BUT RELATED… July 24 is also National Cousins Day! So grab a cousin or two along with a couple of glasses and mix yourselves this Garden Margarita cocktail and enjoy the tequila in it – to enjoy the margarita, you’ll have to wait until February 22 when that national holiday rolls around.
How do you celebrate National Tequila Day?
If you need some ideas for how to celebrate this internationally recognized day, here are some fun things you can do that will make it a memorable day – or not memorable if you have too much fun!
- Pour some tequila into your salsa for an ultra kick.
- Cut a small opening in the top of a watermelon and pour some tequila into it. Then slice it up and serve.
- Have some key lime pie and chase it with a few shots of tequila. Bonus points if you chase it with the cheapest tequila you can find.
- Use tequila in your favorite drinking games like beer pong.
- Get into a spirited debate about what the best brand of tequila is.
Spirited?
Yes, spirit.
Is tequila a spirit?
Yes, it is! Tequila is considered a spirit because it is made from the blue agave plant – a type of mezcal.
Food & Wine did an article on how all tequila are mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequila… you can read that article here: https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/differences-between-tequila-mezcal
What are considered spirits?
Spirits are alcoholic drinks that are made of grains or other plants and are fermented into a strong beverage. As mentioned above, tequila is made from a blue agave plant that is found in specific regions of Mexico so it is considered a spirit.
There are six types of spirits: brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey.
It’s believed that in 327 B.C. Aristotle first said the term ‘spirits’ when he thought drinking a distilled beer or wine put ‘spirits’ into the body of the drinker.
And there’s no disputing that! Tequila (and some other adult beverages) can be evil!
When is National Cocktail Day?
I’ve been talking about the Garden Margarita cocktail, but when do we celebrate the ‘cocktail’? The ‘official’ date is marked as March 24.
What are some popular cocktails?
Here are a few other cocktails that I have shared here:
- Thyme is on My Side Cocktail
- Casserole Cocktail
- Spiced Wonder Melon Vodka Punch Cocktail
- Wolf in Lamb Clothing Cocktail
You may not be able to get the Garden Margarita cocktail at Trinity Restaurant anymore, but you can still enjoy the beverage at home with this recipe.
Have you eaten at the restaurant before it closed or had this drink at the bar? If so, tell us about your experience in the comment section below.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Exotico Tequila / muddled with one slice of jalapeno remove seeds from jalapeno
- .5 oz .Tarragon Syrup
- .5 oz .Pernod
- .5 oz Ancho Reyes chili liqueur
- 1 oz lime juice
- .5 oz lemon juice
- Tarragon Garnish
- Sugar/Salt rim
Instructions
- Place all liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into sugar/salt-rimmed margarita glass. Garnish with a sprig of tarragon.
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KEEP THE RED BEANS COOKIN’!
ERIC
Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.
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