margarita Archives - Wood & Spoon

Mai Tai Margaritas

I don’t know about you, but I am all for an event that encourages margaritas. That perfect blend of sweet and tart poured into a glass with a salted rim is the primary the reason I so enjoy tacos, burritos, and basically anything Jimmy Buffet. If it’s so wrong to be in it for the booze, I don’t want to be right, okay?

In years past, I’ve participated in the annual #margaritaweek event hosted by my friend Kate Ramos of Hola Jalapeño. Alongside her and a bunch of other bloggers, I served you guys recipes like sparkling margaritas, honey basil margaritas, pinot ritas, rose margaritas, and more. It’s always a delicious and refreshing time of year, so I was more than thrilled to jump right in again this year for another round of margs. This time, with the help of my friends at behind Agave In The Raw, we’re going big time tropical feels with some mai tai margaritas, and I am really hoping you like them as much as I do.

Have you ever had a mai tai? Brett and I enjoyed our first on a trip to Hawaii while we were dating. We sat beachside at a hotel we couldn’t afford and sipped absurdly priced mai tais because that was the thing to do. I can remember putting the flower from my drink in my hair and feeling like a straight-up island princess. The drink itself was really just okay, but in the time since that first sip, I’ve had more than a few that have marked my taste buds for the better. With subtle lime and orange flavors throughout, a mash-up of margarita meets mai tai was destined to happen in my book, and I’m so glad it did.

Mai Tai Margaritas

So here’s the lowdown on this mai tai margarita: We’ve preserved the tequila, lime, orange liquor, and agave that we know and love in a margarita. In addition to that deliciousness, we’ve added rum, pineapple juice, and just a hint of almond extract to hit those mai tai flavors out of the park. The result is a drink that is notably booze-forward with a whole lot of balance brought in via fruity flavors and smooth agave nectar. All in all, we’ve got an island tropics meets south of the border drink situation that should really be on your summer beach rotation if you know what’s good for you.

I’m sharing today’s post with my friends at Agave In The Raw who make the agave nectar I used for this recipe.. So what’s agave? Agave is a sweetener pressed from the core of an agave plants, and while it’s the traditional sweetener for classic margs it’s also a great alternative for honey, maple syrup, and more. We use it in our house frequently for salad dressings, cocktail mixing, and sauces. It’s quite a bit sweeter than regular sugar so a little goes a long way, and here in these mai tai margaritas, it’s an absolute must. Agave In The Raw is USDA certified organic, vegan, and kosher, and they’re the perfect partner for this festive beverage.

If you’re in need of a tasty way to celebrate summer, give these mai tai margaritas a try. Be sure to pick up a bottle of Agave In The Raw for this recipe, and thank you in advance for supporting brands that make Wood & Spoon possible. You can check out the other #margaritaweek participants at the link on Kate’s site here! Happy drinking, happy Friday, and enjoy the weekend friends!

If you like these Mai Tai Margaritas you should check out:

Sparkling Margaritas

Rose Margaritas

Ginger Margaritas

Honey Basil Margaritas

Pinot Margaritas

Mai Tai Margaritas

Print Recipe

These mai tai margaritas are a mashup of the two classic summer cocktails. With tequila, rum, pineapple, and lime, this is the beach drink you’ve been looking for!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1
Category: Beverage

Ingredients

1 ounce silver tequila
¾ ounce lime juice
½ ounce orange liquor
½ ounce agave nectar (I use Agave In The Raw)
2 drops almond extract (less than 1/8 tsp)
1–1/2 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce spiced rum

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Instructions

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange liquor, agave nectar, almond extract, and pineapple juice in a tall shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain contents over a lowball or margarita glass (salted rim optional) filled with new (I use crushed or pellet) ice. Pour the spiced rum on top as a floater and serve with a lime wedge, fresh mint, or pineapple spear as garnish. Enjoy and drink responsibly!

Pinot Ritas and the Saveur Blog Awards!

8 Comments / Food and Drink

Break out your glassware and some bar snacks because it’s time for show and tell! Today I’m spilling the details of my recent trip to Charleston, SC for the Saveur Blog Awards , and we’re going to talk the ins and outs of these boozy pinot ritas! If you’re curious and thirsty, you most definitely came to the right place!

Charleston, SC

Two weeks ago, we traveled to Charleston as a family, Brett and I the captain and co-pilot to a crew of squirmy Cheerio-throwers in the backseat of our packed-to-the-brim SUV. The kids did terrific on the ride there, in large part due to Mickey Mouse, Cheez-Its, and sugar-coated cereal that I shoved in their mouth any time they opened it to cry. #survival

Where We Stayed

In place of the luxury accommodations we usually opt for, we selected an Airbnb on King Street that boasted quick access to restaurants, coffee shops, and (let’s be honest) Jeni’s Ice Cream. The Saveur events didn’t start until Sunday, so we spent just over 24 hours in the city as a family. It’s fun to watch your kids explore new places, and at 3 and 1, Aimee and George found a bit of adventure everywhere we went. Living room chairs and tables were new jungle gyms. Sidewalks were their ultimate playground for jumping, dancing, and crawling. Friends, I learned last weekend that my kids, given enough patience and nap time and ice cream, are willing and able to travel. While the trip was not without a few hiccups or emergency diaper changes, I think we really have a shot at a future of family traveling. TBD.

Saveur Blog Awards

Once the blog awards crew arrived, the weekend really amped up. I was thrilled to see my dear friend Erin for a second time, and I even got to meet my long-time interwebs lady friend, Rebecca. These two, along with the multitude of other beautiful faces I met throughout the weekend, filled the days with laughter and served as excellent sources of encouragement and relation. Sometimes, as a blogger, you start to feel a little like an island, and it was so reassuring to hear from friends who are in the thick too.

Making New Friends

The kind folks at Saveur set up a fabulous weekend of events for the finalists, including tours of Charleston, cocktail parties, pub crawls, and even panel discussions where we got to hear from industry experts about the ins and out of marketing, brand management, publishing, and social issues within the food industry. Yes, I met Deb, the fairy Godmother of blogging, and yes, she is as delightful and charming and sincere as you might have gathered from her writing. We heard from a number of other authors and even a few Southern entrepreneurs like Carrie Morey and Brooks Reitz.

My biggest surprise of the weekend was how kind everyone was! Sure, we were all on our best behavior for the weekend, but I was still shocked at how quickly I grew to like so many of the other bloggers and Saveur staff members. It kinda felt like a weekend of summer camp, except there was a ton of booze, the food was great, and no one woke up covered in shaving cream or sunblock. Basically, it was just really rewarding to share in the excitement with a lot of like-minded people, and that was probably the best part of the whole trip.

A “W” for Wood and Spoon!

I was honored to bring home the Reader’s Choice Award in the Best Baking and Sweets category. Although I attribute the win, in large, to the votes of my husband and my crazy-dedicated Selma friends, I am also aware that much of the success of this baby blog has been due to the help, encouragement, and inspiration that I’ve received from other blogger friends like Erin and Rebecca. It’s kinda like that scene from “Mean Girls” where Katy Herron breaks her homecoming crown into pieces and throws bits of it to other girls in the crowd; any win I experience in this new “career” is shared with the beautiful friends who have sewn into this site.

It’s a thrill to bring home a trophy, but the joy comes with the people who earned it with me. I will forever pinch myself with delight that I get to do something I love so much and that other people, like you readers, want to be a part of it. So thanks. Y’all are the best.

Pinot Ritas

Alright, now let’s talk about these pinot ritas. This recipe was inspired by a cocktail we enjoyed on our recent trip to Portland. Leading up to the awards weekend, we were promoted by Savuer to create a seasonal cocktail recipe using tequila. The winning cocktails were shared at the opening ceremony night, and although my cocktail didn’t win, I couldn’t stand to not share the recipe with you all. Made with a pinot noir simple syrup and classic margarita ingredients, these pinot ritas are sweet, tart, and boozy in all the right places. You need them. So let’s learn how to make ’em.

Making Pinot Ritas

We start by preparing the pinot noir reduction. Simply cook down the red wine with a bit of sugar until it becomes thick and syrupy. You can prep this in advance and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Once the reduction cools, making pinot ritas is rather like making a classic margarita. Add some tequila, orange liquor, lime juice, and the pinot noir syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake, shake, and shake some more until the whole thing chills. Pour the contents of the shaker into a salt-rimmed glass and garnish it with a lime wedge. Easy as pie, these pinot ritas are a surefire way into the hearts of both wine enthusiasts and tequila lovers. Everybody wins.

So whip up a glass (or four) of these pinot ritas to start your week off on the right foot. These boozy treats are perfect for the fall and are a must-make in the weekends ahead. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Thank you again for all of your votes, support, and enthusiasm for baking and sweets. You guys make this worthwhile and I couldn’t ask for any more than what you’ve given me. Cheers to you!

If you like these Pinot Ritas, you should check out:

Honey Basil Margaritas

Sparkling Margaritas

Grapefruit Moscow Mules

Grapefruit Tejitos

Pinot Ritas

Print Recipe

Made with a pinot noir simple syrup, these pinot ritas a sweet and tart, wine-flavored take on the classic margarita. Make one or batch it for a crowd!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 1
Total Time: 30
Yield: 1

Ingredients

For the pinot noir syrup:

8 ounces pinot noir
1/2 cup sugar

For the Pinot Rita:

Margarita salt (Optional)
2 ounces tequila blanco
1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 ounce pinot noir syrup (Recipe below)
1/2 ounce Cointreau, or other orange flavored liquor
Lime wedges, for serving (Optional)

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Instructions

To prepare the pinot noir syrup:

Stir the pinot noir and sugar in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the contents of the pan have been reduced to 4 ounces, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool and chill completely in a heat-proof container in the fridge. The syrup will make about 4 Pinot Ritas.

To prepare the pinot rita:

Salt the rim of your glass, if desired. Combine the tequila, lime juice, pinot noir syrup, and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Pour the entire contents of the shaker into the prepared glass. Serve with a lime wedge, if desired.

Sparkling Margaritas

15 Comments / Food and Drink

These sparkling margaritas are so festive, so perfectly tart and bubbly, that I decided to write a little short story about them. I’ll let you read it if you promise not to laugh. You’ll catch on soon enough that I spend a lot of hours of my life reading children’s stories to my babies, and if you’re in the same boat as me, I bet you’ll be able to identify which story this little tidbit is inspired by.

If You Give a Girl a Sparkling Margarita

If you give a girl a sparkling margarita, she’s going to want some chips and queso. She’ll go to the store to pick up some cheese, and while she’s there, she’ll see some rainbow sprinkles. It will remind her of her favorite confetti ice cream cake, and she will end up wanting to make it. She’ll buy her queso and sprinkles and then head home to begin baking.

While she’s waiting for the cake to bake, she will call a friend to come over for a visit. They’ll sit and chat, laughing over toasty mugs of coffee and cream. And because a cup of coffee isn’t the same without treats to enjoy it with, she will pull a few confetti scones out of the freezer for them to enjoy together. Of course, seeing the sprinkles will remind her of the cake in the oven, which by now has baked a few minutes too long. The girl will curse her oven and dump out the cake, saving a few crumbs to munch on (because even burnt cake is better than none at all, right?) A

ll of those sweet bites will make her crave something salty so she will heat up some tacos from the night before. She’ll need lettuce, tomatoes, and maybe even a sprinkle of cheese, which will remind her of her chips and queso. And chances are, once she starts eating her chips and queso… she’s going to want a sparkling margarita. The end.

Sparkling Margaritas

“Mercy, someone get this girl out of the house.” I can hear you all now. Yes, it’s probably a bad sign that children’s literature has infiltrated so deep into my thought processes, but the truth remains that if you give this girl some Mexican food, she’s absolutely going to require a marg. So let’s cut to the chase and chat about these sparkling margaritas.

This recipe was inspired by a menu item on one of my favorite local Mexican restaurants. Their cocktail menu spans an entire page, but there’s always a few standouts for me, namely their “St. Rita.” A blend of sour mix, St. Germaine, tequila, and cava, the St. Rita is indeed heavenly. Wanting to enjoy a sweet and fizzy beverage from the comfort of my own home, I started testing recipes and I am thrilled with the outcome.

Making the Margaritas

These sparkling margaritas start similarly to your average marg. Fresh squeezed lime juice, tequila, ice… you know the drill. We add elderflower liquor for a sweet and floral punch. Finally, the whole thing gets shaken to oblivion in a cocktail shaker. Once everything is icy and suspended together in that frosty shaker, it gets poured into a salt-rimmed glass and topped with a few ounces of sparkling wine. At first taste, these sparkling margaritas are perfectly sweet and sour, with effervescent little bubbles that make each sip feel like a tastebud fiesta in your mouth. Pure magic.

I’m one of many bloggers who will be sharing margarita and tequila-filled recipes over the next few days for Margarita Week. Kate from ¡HOLA! JALAPEÑO has organized this boozy round-up of recipes to ensure that your Cinco de Mayo party is nothing short of delicious, so I hope you’ll check out the other sites involved.

If you’re looking for an extra bougie (in case you’re wondering, Mom, that means bourgeoisie), South-of-the-border beverage, these sparkling margaritas are the way to go. Pinkies out and enjoy! I’ll be sharing an additional recipe this week on Friday along with a round-up of Mother’s Day breakfast menus, so love your mama and check that out! As always, you can sign up to receive blog posts straight to your email, so if you haven’t done that already, now is the perfect time to do so. Have a great week and Happy Cinco de Mayo!

If you like these sparkling margaritas, you may also like:

Honey Basil Margaritas

Grapefruit Tejitos

Grapefruit Moscow Mules

Vegan Coconut Lime Ice Cream Pie

Sparkling Margaritas

Print Recipe

Sparkling margaritas are a sweet and bubbling version of the classic cocktail, flavored with elderflower liquor and champagne.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1

Ingredients

1 ounce lime juice (about 1 lime)
1–1/2 ounce elderflower liquor (like St. Germaine)
1 ounce tequila blanco
1/2 ounce simple syrup (optional-see notes)
2 ounces sparkling wine ( or cava/champagne)

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Instructions

Combine the lime juice, elderflower liquor, tequila, and simple syrup (optional)in a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Pour the contents of the shaker in a tall glass and top with the cava. Stir gently and enjoy!

Notes

Serve with a salted and sugared glass rim, if desired.
I prefer a dry sparkling wine for this recipe.
If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, add the 1/2 ounce of simple syrup. This is optional and should be used according to your taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 152
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 19
Fat: 0
Saturated Fat: 0
Unsaturated Fat: 0
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 12
Protein: 0
Cholesterol: 0

Honey Basil Margaritas

14 Comments / Food and Drink

At the end of April, my mom and I created a summer bucket list- a list of projects and goals we wanted to complete before fall came rolling through. Initially, I was determined to tick each and every item off that list. I’d finish sewing a few quilts, piece together George’s baby photo album, and shed the remaining pregnancy pounds, among a number of other tasks that I was sure I’d finish with ease.

I was wrong.

Had my summer bucket list included eating an entire ice cream cake by myself, binge watching every episode of “Naked and Afraid” on my DVR, or successfully maintaining a sports bra/t-shirt hybrid of a farmer’s tan, then this summer would have been crowned an all out success. Instead, my biggest success of the summer was keeping two humans alive (three, if you count my husband), and finally sleeping through the night myself without an extra kick in the pants from my good friend, melatonin.

One silver lining of those summer nights and my struggling bucket list are the cocktails. Ohh, the cocktails.

I have honey basil margaritas to thank for a lot of my summer nights. Made with classic margarita ingredients and the added bonus of a honey simple syrup and fresh basil, these honey basil margaritas are incredibly refreshing and the perfect mix of sweet, sour, and salty. This is a cocktail made for sunset-watching on the beach, summer barbecues, or (if you’re like me) when the witching hour is strong and mama just needs a little something to take the edge off.

The honey simple syrup is made like any other simple syrup, by boiling equal parts water and sugar (in the form of good quality clover honey) until it’s dissolved. After being chilled, the syrup is muddled with the basil before being shaken to oblivion with the lime, tequila, and orange liquor. You can store your syrup in the fridge for two weeks and I highly recommend shaking it up with some of your other favorite citrus-based cocktails (French 75, anyone?)

I’m sharing this recipe for honey basil margaritas in participation of #DRINKTHESUMMER , a virtual cocktail party being hosted by Sherrie of With Food + Love . Even though summer is short, it is always plenty generous with a bounty of produce that is worthy of celebration, so be sure to check out her post where she will be sharing the names and recipe links of the other bloggers involved.

If you made a summer bucket list and failed to complete it, don’t fret. Just drink up what’s left of the summer and look forward to all that fall has to offer.

To see more of #DRINKTHESUMMER , click to the host site here .

Honey Basil Margaritas

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Made with fresh basil and a honey simple syrup, these honey basil margaritas are a refreshing, summery take on the Mexican classic.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 1

Ingredients

For the honey basil margaritas

3/4 ounce honey simple syrup (recipe below)
4 medium sized basil leaves
2 ounces tequila
1/2 ounce orange liquor
1 ounce lime juice

For the honey simple syrup

1/2 cup good quality clover honey
1/2 cup water

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Instructions

To prepare the margaritas

In a shaker, muddle the basil leaves with the honey simple syrup. Add the remaining ingredients and fill the shaker with ice. Shake for 30-45 seconds. Pour into a salt-rimmed glass and enjoy!

To prepare the honey simple syrup

Combine the honey and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool on the stove or in a heat-safe container in the fridge. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

margarita

Mai Tai Margaritas

If you like these Mai Tai Margaritas you should check out:

Mai Tai Margaritas

Ingredients

Instructions

Charleston, SC

Where We Stayed

Saveur Blog Awards

Making New Friends

A “W” for Wood and Spoon!

Pinot Ritas

Making Pinot Ritas

If you like these Pinot Ritas, you should check out:

Pinot Ritas

Ingredients

Instructions

If You Give a Girl a Sparkling Margarita

Sparkling Margaritas

Making the Margaritas

If you like these sparkling margaritas, you may also like:

Sparkling Margaritas

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Honey Basil Margaritas

Ingredients

For the honey basil margaritas

For the honey simple syrup

Instructions

To prepare the margaritas

To prepare the honey simple syrup

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