Once we get to the annual #MargaritaWeek, I know that we’ve made it to greener pastures. The excitement is palpable. In fact, as I sit here writing this, it’s Spring in Boston, the clouds are clearing, and I’m watching the transformations in front of me. An older gentleman next to me lounges in a light jacket and peels it off in the warm morning sunshine, stretching out the winter blues. Sailboats are back out on the Charles too. It feels kind of magical. Just like margarita week.

Thanks to the fabulous Kate of Hola Jalapeño for organizing this genius week! Check out the dedicated page over at her site for every margarita you could ever hope for.

There’s something about a margarita which screams carefree. Like a metaphor for that cool person you know who always seems to be living in the moment. Margaritas are a personal favorite. They instantly signal my brain to switch from its constantly running list or reminders to what’s happening at that exact moment.

This margarita is a bit off the beaten path in terms of the classic pitcher of margs or a seasonal watermelon margarita. It’s comparably kind of serious in how a martini is kind of serious. It’s got the standard orange liqueur aka Cointreau, Triple Sec, etc., simple syrup, and tequila but from there, we add in deep espresso and a hint of cinnamon to really treat yoself. This is a cocktail to wind down at the end of the day, either alone or with a pal, and read a good book, catch up, or just get your margarita on in a less party way. I love this sipper!

Now, because I’m a science nerd, we’ve got to sneak a science tidbit in here. I wrote all about distillation last year for Edible Long Island, which I highly recommend checking out. But we do have to get some tequila chemistry in here too.

Tequila is named after the location it originates, Tequila, just north of Guadalajara. It’s a spirit made from agave which is hand-harvested for the heart of the plant, buried in the ground. From there, the agave hearts are roasted to begin the breakdown of the starches into sugars—the fermentable bits. The roasted hearts are crushed and pulverized to extract the juices. From there, the juice, is transferred to a tank with water and yeast. Here is where the tequila as we know it begins. The yeast eats up the sugar in the agave juice, and it produces alcohol. But only at around 5 or 6%. We need to distill it to get tequila! Generally to a final ABV of 40-70%.

That’s it for the base tequila spirit, aka blanco or white tequila. Reposado is tequila that is aged in oak containers of any size for up to a year, or at a minimum of two months. That is going to be deeper in flavor and color than blanco. Añejo is tequila that is aged for at least a year, and it has to be an oak barrel, typically prior bourbon aging barrels. This is going to be even deeper in flavor.

In general, I like to think of white tequila as a cocktail mix-in. The others should be enjoyed on their own—for sipping. However, if you want a deeper tequila flavor in this drink, a reposado would be yummy! And if you’re a true rockstar, swap out the simple syrup for an agave syrup.

Check out all of the #MargaritaWeek recipes and previous rockstars from the years past like this gem or this one. And enjoy your spring that is (hopefully) finally breaking through wherever you are! xo

Espresso Orange Margarita

Makes 2

2 espresso shots (or 3-4 ounces strong coffee)

3 ½ ounces tequila

1 ½ ounces simple syrup

1 ounce Cointreau, Gran Gala, or Triple Sec

Cinnamon and orange for rim and garnish (optional)

1. Combine the espresso, tequila, simple syrup, and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker with a couple handfuls of ice. Shake for 20 or seconds until completely chilled and mixed.
2. Rim two glasses with cinnamon by running an orange wedge around the top of the rim and then pressing into the ground cinnamon.
3. Fill the glasses with ice and pour the shaken cocktail over the ice, splitting between the two. Garnish with an orange twist, and enjoy!