July 24th is National Tequila Day in the United States.
Distilled from the blue agave plant, the spirit was first exported from Mexico to the U.S. by Don Cenobio Sauza, the founder of Sauza Tequila and Municipal President of the Village of Tequila from 1884-1885.
In 2008, the The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (Tequila Regulatory Council) noted that there were currently 28 different producers of tequila, with 901 registered brands on the market, and more and more are on the way.
This National Tequila Day grab your favorite bottle and try celebrating with one of these unique cocktails.
Bazaar Bloody Maria
By Pam Wiznitzer, Trademark & Belle Shoals
Ingredients for ice cubes:
Red tomatoes + Pinch Piri Piri (Portugal)
Orange tomatoes + Habanero (South America)
Yellow tomatoes + Saffron (India)
Green tomatoes + Zaatar (Middle East)
Pinch Salt
Pinch Pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (UK)
2 oz Water
Directions for ice cubes: Blend ingredients together well in a blender and strain for seeds. The night before serving, make Bloody Maria ice cubes and freeze each color individually (orange tomato cubes, yellow tomato cubes, green tomato cubes).
Directions for cocktail: Ccrush/smash 1-2 Bloody Maria ice cubes of each tomato color. Fill a highball glass with the ice, layering by color. In a desperate glass combine 2 oz. Patron Reposado, .75 oz. lemon juice, 3 dashes bittermans hellfire bitters, 5 dashes horseradish tincture. Pour mixture into the highball glass over the layered ice. Add straw and garnish with a skewer that has multi colored tomatoes, fresh squash blossom, exotic international peppers and celery with leaf still attached.
Clementine Crush
Ingredients:
1 part Sauza® Signature Blue Silver Tequila
1 part clementine juice
1/2 part lime juice
1/2 part agave nectar
1 orange wheel
Directions: Add ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain over ice into glass and serve. Garnish with an orange wheel. Sugarcoated rim is optional.
Sriracharita
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts CRUZ Tequila
1 part Fresh lime juice
¾ parts Cointreau
¼ part Jalapeno infused Tres Agaves Agave Nectar*
3 dashes Sriracha
orange wedge for garnish
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake and strain in to a rocks glass over ice, garnish with orange peel.
For the Jalapeno agave syrup
2 cups Tres Agaves agave nectar
1 jalapeno, cut lengthwise, seeds removed (2 if you’re feeling bold!)
Directions: Over medium heat, simmer agave nectar. Add jalapeno and let simmer at least one hour (then rest overnight for maximum flavor), strain through a mesh sieve and store in refrigerator.
Liberty Lemonade
Ingredients:
2 oz. 1800 Reposado
1 oz. lemon
¾ oz. agave
1 sweet pepper
Sprig of lemongrass
Top with soda water
Directions: Muddle sweet pepper with lemongrass thoroughly in shaker. Add remaining ingredients, then add soda water. Double strain into rocks glass. Garnish with halved sweet pepper.
Sauza Scorched Wahini
Ingredients:
2 parts Sauza® Signature Blue Silver Tequila
1 part simple syrup
2 parts pineapple juice
1 grilled pineapple wedge
1 pineapple leaf
Directions: Reserve pineapple wedges and add remaining ingredients to an ice filled shaker. Shake and strain over ice into a mason jar or margarita glass. Garnish with a grilled pineapple wedge and leaf.
Blueberry Basil Margarita
Ingredients:
2 parts Cruz Silver Tequila
1 part agave nectar
12-15 blueberries
1 lime squeezed
1-2 parts filtered water
A couple sprigs of basil
Directions: Muddle blueberries and basil with Tequila. Add remaining ingredients. Shake with ice and serve over fresh ice (Do not strain). Garnish with basil leaf float.
Emily is Paste’s Assistant Drink Editor and thinks “National Tequila Day” is a pretty solid idea. You can see how she’s celebrating on Twitter @emily.