June 2010

  • Strawberry Margaritas

    By lisala on 6/29/10 9:46pm
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    I'm a devout admirer of the traditional Margarita made with fresh squeezed lime juice, quality tequila, and Grand Marnier. But at this time of year, with all the lovely fresh locally grown strawberries that are available just about everywhere, it's time to think about a hand-made strawberry Margarita. If you're going to do this right, it means getting the highest quality ingredients that are possible. To begin with, that means fresh, ripe, sweet strawberries that taste fabulous on their own. If you wouldn't eat them, don't use them in a Margarita. The tequila needs to be something along the lines of Cuervo 1800, if possible. If not, make sure it's 100% agave. There are some very good imported tequilas from tiny labels, and they're worth trying, but always check to make sure it's 100% agave.

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  • Collins Cocktails

    By lisala on 6/26/10 1:04pm
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    Summer is really here, and it's perfect weather for lounging on a porch or a deck and watching the sun go down while you sip a long cool cocktail. A Collins is a fabulous summer cocktail, and it's easy to make. It's served in a Collins glass, a long tall cylinder, over ice. The various versions of a Collins are largely variations in terms of the citrus, or other flavoring, and the spirit used. The first Collins appears to have been created in the mid-1800s, and was named in honor of a nineteenth century meme visible in various newspaper and passed by word-of-mouth. Someone would approach another person, often in a bar, and say that "Tom Collins" had been bad-mouthing them.

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