Very Berry Blood Orange Margarita Cocktail
Did you know that tomorrow, Saturday, February 22nd is National Margarita Day? If I had my way and a moment of extra time I would campaign hard to get it moved. How? Why? What was someone thinking when they made the quintessential summer cocktail’s ‘day’ in the middle of winter. Maybe it was someone in Australia who initiated that effort? In any event it is what it is and I would be remiss to ignore it. I love, love, love margaritas and for me, they were the start of my foray into making my own cocktails. This recipe is my classic favorite but I have to say that adding blood oranges to my favorite cocktail is right up there. They make a gorgeous and extremely tasty addition to my arsenal and this year I’ve upped the ante just a bit more!
The folks with Driscoll Berries sent me a certificate for some berries and I found some gorgeous strawberries and raspberries at the market. Unable to decide which ones to include with blood oranges, I gave up and just did both; can you blame me? Wow! Normally I make a cocktail or two and might try one of them. Yesterday I tried one and then just to make sure it passed muster I decided I needed to work on the second one too. Maybe it’s their hint of summer that is so perfect; aren’t we all just really sick and tired of snow and cold this year? Maybe that is the point of the mid-winter national celebration of this cocktail; to remind us of better days. Of the warmth of the sun on our shoulders and streaks of gold in our hair and certainly with a refreshing cold cocktail in our hand? Just thinking about it makes me ready; how about you?
For this cocktail I was provided with a bottle of Casa Noble’s ‘Crystal’ Tequila Blanco; 100% Agave Tequila that is produced at La Cofradia in Jalisco, Mexico. Called Crystal because Casa Noble believes it is unique and in a class by itself. I loved the smoothness of this tequila which is good enough for sipping and just amazing in this cocktail. It is contained in a beautiful hand blown glass decanter, adorned with an exquisite metal engraved label; I know it’s a bottle I’ll be keeping long after the tequila is gone! Some of you may already know this but I loved learning that as of July 2011 music icon Carlos Santana joined the Board and is now one of the owners of the brand…seems most appropriate!
This is a crystal clear tequila which is my preference for mixing with brilliant fruit hues. The taste of buttery, sweet agave and spices are soft on the palate and are complemented by a hint of citrus; the perfect tequila to marry with margaritas in my book. Drinking it straight I found the well-balanced finish clean, smooth and silky and yes of course, I would do that again. I learned long ago that drinking Tequila straight up is a pleasure when you use a really good product and this qualifies.
As ready for warm weather as I am? Try this cocktail and see if it doesn’t transport you to a warmer place. Or go on; sit by the fire and have one…either way I just know you’ll love it!
Happy National Margarita Day!! Have a great margarita to share? Would love to see your links!
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I was provided with a bottle of the Casa Noble Blanco ‘Crystal’ Tequila but all opinions are my own.
Did not want to miss this! Manservant just bought some of this tequila but it was the anejo. It comes in a gorgeous purple bottle. I love all these bottles but have yet to come up with a creative way to use them. Love this margarita! Can’t wait to sip some in the summertime. Or maybe tomorrow!
I my other home I had some shelving above the fireplace that was perfect for displaying bottles so I’m going to have to create something here; some really are too good to dispose of! We will definitely be having margaritas this summer; count on it.
I celebrated National Margarita Day a week early with a tequila tasting which included Casa Noble single barrel at Red O (Newport Beach) – my first experience with their tequilas. Loved it – and I want to reach in and grab one of these gorgeous margaritas too!
Wow, how beautiful is that! I’m with you on moving the day to the summertime. Have never tried a margarita that I didn’t like. How about watermellon?
I’ve done watermelon too and it’s really good. Truth is, I think if you use fresh fruit and good quality ingredients I can’t imagine one being bad! 🙂
The secret to a great margarita is to layer the flavors which you’ve done in “bloody” good style. GREG
So many secrets but nothing difficult. I urge folks to get GOOD products; like with anything else, cheap tequila and cheap triple sec just don’t make for a great cocktail. I know you would agree!
I need one of these this weekend. This looks so good!
Oh wow a whole year has gone by already? I remember last years Margarita day like it was last month! Once again I realised too late so sadly no Margarita for me. This one is a stunner, I only wish you could zap one to me- almost 5:00 here! Just gorgeous Barb!
Yes…sadly or maybe gratefully; at least I’m settled. This time last year I was trying to sell my home; I bet I drank a pitcher of these when I made them. Glad those days are over. Whew!!
Oh Barb, this looks so gorgeous! And I would love to make it! I wish I could find blood oranges. I haven’t seen them in the stores locally. I’ll check, because this looks PERFECT!
Cheers
Matt
http://agoodtimewithwine.com
Next I would try Cava Cava and if all else fails just go with a sweet orange, maybe a tangerine? Not as pretty but I’m sure it would taste great. How can you not have them in Florida when I can find them in Colorado (not for long though, sob)?
I’m certainly ready for the return of warmer days but in the meantime, with one of these beauties in my hand it would carry me through the harsh cold for a bit longer. I love blood oranges and this cocktail is just drop dead gorgeous! That color, wow. I will definitely be mixing one of these up very soon.
I shared with someone else too that the color is real; no pumping up or saturating…it is vivid and gorgeous. Make more than one. Trust me. 🙂
Yay, we love Margaritas! And this one sounds exquisite!
That it is…beautiful in the glass and wonderful going down too!
Well this margarita is a party waiting to happen! I do agree with you that the timing of a “margarita day” is odd in the winter but let’s think of it as a warm up to spring, Cinco de Mayo and then summer will be here before we know it. Loving the sunshine today but the wind is fierce! Your new photography area must really suit you, Barb, your photos are gorgeous.
That must be it huh? And thanks Holly; it is a work in progress. The space is great and the light works well but I have got to decide on some shelves and get that done. Weeding through props scattered on the floor and in two rooms is maybe not ideal. 🙂
I did not know that tomorrow was National Margarita Day! Having not known this until your post, I looked up to see if there was a National Amaretto Day too and there is! April 19th 🙂
Cheers to these new to me national days and cheers for coming up with a striking margarita to celebrate a day devoted to this cocktail.
I’ll really celebrate with you when you finally HAVE one! 🙂
The classic margarita is a wonderful drink! We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant recently and had their house margaritas (big mistake) — too sweet, no real triple sec flavor, and darn little tequila flavor. So when we got home we mixed ourselves a real margarita just to wash away the taste! This looks like such a fun margarita variation. I do like how you mix your citrus juices in your margaritas — doing so adds another dimension to the drink, which is fun. Gorgeous drink — thanks.
Try my main one I linked to John; I think and I’ve heard OVER and over from friends it is the best they’ve ever had.
Well thanks so much for giving me the heads up on Nat’l Margarita Day, that is something this girl wouldn’t want to miss! I would love one of these to celebrate, but I’ll probably have to celebrate with a drink that is less than yours. Oh well, I’ll be celebrating anyway!
Come on over and I’ll make you one; I should have brought a thermos yesterday huh?
Love margarita and this looks so good.
Thanks so much!
What a way to celebrate margarita day. Those are as pretty to look at as they are delicious to drink.
I know…I’ll be tempted to make a version of a blood orange every year because they are so gorgeous and in season here right now. For about another week…sobbing a bit about that.