August 3, 2011
How do you like your margaritas? For me, most of the time, I think margaritas at restaurants are just a little too much on the sweet side (OK, maybe a lot too much on the sweet side). So a few years ago, my husband and I started experimenting with pairing down our “margs.” First, we tried going light on the simple syrup. That worked well, but it wasn’t quite enough. This led to us doing away with the triple sec entirely. The result? A simple Tequila Gimlet that is simply delicious.
The key to this, like all the recipes here on my site, is to use fresh ingredients. Real lime juice (hold the Rose’s please) and the best tasting tequila you can find truly make this cocktail. We have a great little bottle shop down the road where I buy specialty tequila, but you can find Patron Silver for a great price at Trader Joe’s. If you’re looking for something less expensive, you could try Cazadores Tequila Blanco. Bevmo has it right now for $21.99. Salud!
2 ounces tequila (Silver or Blanco)
2 ounces fresh lime juice (this is usually one juicy lime)
2 ounces Valerie’s simple syrup (see below)
Garnish
Salt for rim
Lime slices
Splash of sparkling water (optional)
Salt the rim of your glass. Fill the glass with ice. Mix the liquid ingredients in a shaker filled with a cup of ice. Pour the mixture over a salted rimmed glass filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of lime.
Valerie’s Simple Syrup
Normal simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water. I think that can get a little too sweet, so for my version, I double the water: 2 parts water for 1 part sugar. Simply heat the ingredients in a pot on the stove until the sugar crystals dissolve. Cool, use, enjoy!
