Take the classic cocktail for an extra sweet spin when you make a Pink Margarita.
The stagehand was grizzled, jaded and also very, very unfriendly. He had seen it all… The Great White Way, the West End, along with all manner of dinner theaters. He had pulled his share of curtain ropes, as well as hanging from the rafters, hundreds of feet above the stage, to rescue a depressed ingénue after she discovered her understudy was the better actor. It was a thankless career, so as a result, the ol’ theater denizen wasn’t keen on being your pal.
I had rolled through the backstage area to visit a friend, who was starring in a revival of The Worst High School Play In The World. Before I took my seventh step in, the stagehand was on me, yelling about permission and “keeping him sweet”, which was a phrase he kept belting out over and over.
“You better keep me sweet, all of you!”
The show was a success, and everyone was partying in the dressing rooms afterward. I was “volunteered” to make the cast and crew cocktails… and the stagehand’s angry request of being kept glacé had been stuck like a thorn in my brain. So I decided, just for salty fella, that I’d whip up a Pink Margarita, using a little splash of grenadine. I handed it to him, all while he eyeballed me up and down as he took his first, long sip.
And then he smiled. A warm, welcoming and grateful smile. Winking at me, he simply and quietly said, “Finally. Somebody who listens.”
What is the best tequila to use in a Pink Margarita?
For this recipe, we’ll want to use a blanco—or silver—tequila. The unaged, peppery and grassy notes will meld nicely with the triple sec and lime juice, offering a lovely balance with each sip. And since it’s the grenadine that helps make this cocktail a pink one, you’ll want the clear-colored spirit to mix with. An aged tequila will be darker and more complex in its flavor, giving this drink a different taste and look.
Ingredients
- Salt for the rim, optional
- 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
- 1 ounce triple sec
- 2 ounces lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon grenadine
- Lime wheel to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a cold margarita or rocks glass. Dip the rim into a shallow dish filled with salt.
- Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Pour in the tequila, triple sec, lime juice, agave syrup, and grenadine.
- Shake well until the outside of the shaker feels cold. Place ice into your prepared glass and strain your drink into it. Add a lime wedge on the rim as an optional garnish.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Grab a large and wide ‘Rita goblet, salt the rim, fill it with ice and then garnish with a fresh lime wheel on top once your mixture is poured in. If you don’t have any margarita glasses handy, a rocks glass will work instead.
Can you substitute the agave syrup?
A great margarita is usually made with an agave syrup, adding more of the sweet earthiness found in the tequila that’s used. If you have run out, or have realized at the last minute that you just don’t have any, or you forgot to purchase some, Simple Syrup will work in its place.
Other margarita variations worth trying
When the summer comes around, and the pool is open again, the weekends at your house will soon be filled with mirth and laughter. Cocktails are not necessarily required, but they sure are fun. And nothing beats a margarita on a hot, sweaty day. Here are a few you can try out the next time company comes over.
- Thanksgiving Margarita – A tipple you can have with your turkey and stuffing.
- Beer Margarita – The perfect warm weather combination.
- Margarita Jell-O Shots – Serve up some jiggly, boozy treats with this fun recipe.
- Devil’s Margarita – A little red wine in your ‘Rita adds a dash of mischief.
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