Bottoms Up — July 22, 2013 at 2:05 pm

Happy National Tequila Day!

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Christmas brings great presents, Halloween brings great candy and July 4th brings great hot dogs. But truly, is any holiday as sweet as the one that brings us great tequila?

While many of you are probably remembering the last time you threw yourself a personal tequila holiday and trying not to throw up, I am talking to the lucky people who have conquered the oft love-hate relationship with this potent liquor and have happily settled on a pure, mutual adoration for it.

And plenty of lucky people there are! Did you know America consumes twice the amount of tequila as Mexico every year? Twice! Well, overindulging does seem to be our country’s personality but unlike the case with McDonald’s, this time it’s not embarrassing. In fact, America’s gluttonous ways seem to have finally paid off, with 40 new tequilas being brought to the market in the past year alone.

Plus, it’s made National Tequila Day an even bigger celebration with each passing year. What exactly will make July 24th special? Firstly, you can feel totally justified in ordering tequila when everyone else is having Bud Lights and vodka tonics, ever critical of your “aggressive” drinking (note to the masses: some people really do just love the taste of it. Man up and stop judging). Plus, you finally don’t have to be at a Mexican restaurant to be offered complex and delicious tequila-filled cocktails!

Needless to say, for us tequila lovers, this national holiday is but a sweet relief from the usual vodka-infused concoctions and forced selfie shots because no one else wants to get in on the rounds of Patron. And even though it’s a wildly accepted fact that the best pairing for Mexico’s greatest contribution is simply an empty glass (and maybe an ice cube),  it’s nice to have a day where restaurants and bars everywhere make an effort to give the true MVP of the liquor shelf a star showing.

So, where to go for the upcoming fiesta?

The W Hotels are all offering special tequila deals on July 24th, but head to the W Union Square for their $16 fiery Tongue Tied cocktail made of Suerte tequila, dimmi, red bell pepper, roasted garlic, tomato.

Or, check out these other local watering holes getting in on the holiday spirit:

  • Forty Four at The Royalton Hotel:
    • El Maya VerdeHerradura Reposado, house made cilantro-mint syrup, lime juice, Cointreau
  • Headless Horseman 
    •  Spicy Pear Margarita Sauza Silver Tequila, Chili, Pear Nectar, Cointreau, Lime. $12
  • Booker and Dax
    •   Shaved Ice Margarita– Mezcal, Cointreau, Lime, Yellow Chartreuse. $14
  • Stanton Social
    • Blood Orange – Jalapeño Margarita– Jalapeño-infused Milagro Reposado, blood orange juice, fresh lime, Cointreau. $13
  • El Toro Blanco
    • Mrs. Margarita Sames- Herradura blanco, Cointreau, fresh lime. $14
  • Toloache
    • Della Casa Margarita- Jimador Blanco, Cointreau, Lime. $11
  • Rocking Horse Café
    • La Frambuesa- Milagro Silver, Cointreau, raspberry and lime. $12
  • Hecho en Dumbo
    • Margarita– 100% Agave Tequila Herradura Blanco, freshly squeezed Lime Juice, Cointreau, and a dash of Cane Sugar, served on the rocks with a Salted rim. $13
  • La Palapa
    • “La Dona” Diva MargaritaCarozon Blanco, Cointreau, hibiscus, served up. $13
  • Rosa Mexicano
    • La Suprema- Tres Generaciones reposado tequila, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, fresh lime, organic agave

For those who plan to celebrate at home and want to class up their Sauza on the rocks, try these mouth-watering recipes. Some are traditional and others complex mixes but like any tequila drink, all will leave you with a strong buzz and a smooth taste.

Original Margarita

The Original Margarita
2 oz. Blanco tequila
1 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice. Shake and strain into a Margarita glass.Garnish with a lime wheel and salt.

Sauza Mexican Madras

Sauza Mexican Madras
3 parts Sauza Wild Berry Sparkling Margarita
2 parts Orange Juice
3 parts Cranberry Juice
Lime Wheel

Build over ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a lime wheel on the rim.

Getting Figgy With It

Getting Figgy With It
1 ½ parts Milagro Anejo
2 parts Lemon Sour
2 teaspoons Fig Jam
½ parts Apple Juice
5 parts Egg Whites

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Not Just Any Sangrita

Hornitos Not Just Any Sangrita
6 Parts Hornitos Plata Tequila
5 Parts Tomato Juice
5 Parts Pineapple Juice
1 Part Fresh-Squeezed Lime Juice
Teaspoon of Hot Sauce
1 Pinch of Salt
4 Mexican Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp. Crushed Garlic

Mix ingredients 2-8 well; chill in the fridge. Serve in a tall shot glass. For best flavor, make a day before serving. Serve your freshly-made Sangrita with a smooth shot of Hornitos Plata Tequila. Sip alternately. Serves 6.

Passion Fruit Margarita

Passion Fruit Margarita (Courtesy of Maya)
1 ½ oz.Tequila Blanco
1 oz. Passion Fruit purée
½ lime
½ oz. Agave syrup
2 oz. house made sour mix

Summer Salud

Summer Salud
2 oz. Camarena Silver Tequila
½ oz. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/3 Cucumber, Peeled & Diced
1 Heavy Bar Spoon Agave Nectar
2 dashes Orange Bitters
1 oz. Soda Water
Lemon Wheels and Mint Sprig for Garnish

Muddle cucumber thoroughly in shaker tin. Add tequila, lemon juice, agave nectar and orange bitters. Add ice and shake thoroughly. Strain into a tall, ice-filled glass, and top with soda water. Garnish with lemon wheels and a mint sprig.

Camarena Grand Slam

Camerena Grand Slam
1 ½ oz. Camarena Reposado Tequila
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Agave Nectar
1-2 slices Fresh Jalapeño
2 cubes Fresh Pineapple
1 pinch Fresh Cilantro

Muddle all ingredients, except tequila in a shaker tin. Add tequila and ice, shake nice & easy and strain over fresh ice in a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a pineapple square, jalapeno slice and fresh cilantro.

Horchata Margarita

Horchata Margarita
2 oz. of CasaMagna Aged Tequila
1 ½ oz. Controy (Mexican Orange Liqueur) or Cointreau
3 oz. Horchata Concentrate (Horchata is a concentrate mix of milk, rice and cinnamon and can be found in most specialty food stories)
½ oz. Natural Sweet Syrup

Blend all the ingredients with ice and serve in a special glass.

Night of the Iguana

Night of the Iguana Cocktail
1 ½ oz. Tequila  Reposado CasaMagna
2 ½ oz. Cranberry juice
2 oz. Peach Schnapps

Mix all ingredients together over ice.

Mandarin-Rosemary Margarita

Mandarin-Rosemary Margarita (Courtesy of Raymi)
1 ½ oz. tequila
1 oz. mandarin puree
3/4 oz. rosemary simple syrup
1 ½ oz. lime juice

Garnish with rosemary.

Well, the greatest summer holiday is almost upon us so get to the liquor store, turn on that good-weather music and warn your rum-chugging friends; July 24th is tequila’s day in the sun. And let’s be honest, we only get one so go ahead and call out sick to work on the 25th

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