Margaritas have to be the quintessential summer drink! Chilled glasses of Rose and White wine spritzers are fine and dandy for warm evenings on the deck, but for me, margaritas spell a party!

Can’t you just taste one now? The cool of the glass in your hand, the salt on your lips as the sweet tart lime and simple syrup dance with the smooth and complex notes of the tequila. Mmmmm.

While I do love the classic, I am certainly not a purist! I’ve sipped plenty, from the high end tequilas mixed with fresh squeezed lime juice to the cheap stuff mixed with a tube of limeade concentrate. My current obsession is to mix in a bit of fruit puree and some herbs.

I hope you’ll try my Sage Sunset Margarita for lovely patio sipping.

Summer Sunset Margarita

Makes 1 drink

1 fresh sage leaf (optional)
1 1/2 oz tequila
1/2 oz Cointreau or triple sec
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice + 1/2 oz simple syrup
or 1 oz Dish D’Lish Lemon Lime Sweet & Sour Cocktailor
1/2 ounce pomegranate juice, cranberry juice or mango or guava nectar
Garnish: large fresh sage leaf

Tear sage leaf and drop into a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice. Measure in tequila, Cointreau, lime and simple syrup (or Dish D’Lish Sweet & Sour) and juice or nectar of your choice. Cap and shake vigorously. Strain into a large old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh sage leaf.