A friend showed up one recent evening, elated that a nearby bodega carried the orange (but not too orange) soda, Orangina. Apparently it was his secret ingredient for a stellar — and simple — margarita. Instead of including the traditional Triple Sec or Cointreau with the mixture of lime juice and tequila, he swapped in the soda for a lightly sparkling, citrus-y variation. Here's the recipe, just in time for a sunny October Friday.
My friend recommended Hornitos tequila, silver or gold. I had Sauza in the cupboard, along with a bottle of Justin Timberlake's (seriously) silver 901 tequila. Both were great. The silver was a little smoother (ahem), which I liked. Before I mixed anything, I ran a wedge of lime around the edge of the glass. Then I dipped the glass in a little bowl of kosher salt for this fancy salted rim.
Then I poured in 1/4 cup of tequila, 1/2 cup of Orangina, the juice of of half a lime (a few tablespoons), and a dash of club soda.
Zest a little lime peel over the top with a Microplane for flavor and flair!
Voila! The last margarita of the season.
TIPS FOR LAZY AND CREATIVE BOOZERS
• Try it with a splash of lime-flavored club soda instead of plain — especially if you want to skip the lime zest!
• Of course, add a lot more lime juice for a more tart margarita.
• I haven't tried this yet with San Pellegrino Aranciata soda, but wonder how it would be as an Orangina substitute in a pinch. If you try it, let us know!
Jenni Avins mixes drinks in her New York kitchen, where she also writes about food, fashion, travel, and the arts for various magazines and websites. She makes videos too. Follow her on Twitter @jenniavins