Booze Clues: 5 Cinco de Mayo Drinks that Aren't Margaritas

Because You Had Margaritas Last Week

FACT: Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico's Independence Day (that's September 16th). It is also NOT National Margarita Day (though it may seem like it). Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely defeat of French forces at the battle of Puebla in 1862. Also, we Americans have made a mockery of the day in various ways (as we do with most holidays, especially if we can use them as an excuse to get hammered... St. Paddy's day, here's to lookin' at you.). This HuffPo video actually explains that many of the ways we celebrate are actually a bit offensive. Yikes! 

Now that we all feel a little guilty, let's sip a few of those woes away. You do know the margarita isn't the only Mexican-inspired cocktail out there, right? Consider the paloma, michelada, or even one of your favorite cocktails with tequila replacing the usual spirit. We've rounded up a few cocktail ideas to get your ideas flowing.  

Herradura Paloma (An Easy Switch if you REALLY love margaritas)

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz Tequila Herradura Silver

5 oz grapefruit juice (or Spiked Seltzer Indian River Grapefruit)

1 oz Lemon juice and salt

METHOD:

In a big ball glass put the ice and Tequila Herradura. Add salt, lemon juice and grapefruit juice (or Siked Seltzer).

Mexican Martini -Created by Garrett Flanagan for El Original (If you're into dirty martinis)

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 oz. Lime Juice

1.5 oz. Simple Syrup

3 oz. Tequila

0.5 oz. Olive Juice

METHOD:

Shake with ice, pour into martini glass, garnish with olives and enjoy!

SX Honey Bee -Featured on the menu of Bodega Negra in NYC

INGREDIENTS:

2oz SXchachacha

.25oz Mezcal

Fresh Lemon Juice

Honey

Lavender Bitters

METHOD:

Blend SXchachacha, mezcal, lemon and honey over ice. Shake. Pour into large rocks glass. Add a dash of lavender bitters.

Altos Anejo Manhattan -Created by Charles Joly

INGREDIENTS:

2 parts Altos Añejo

1 part Carpano Antica® vermouth

2 dashes of bitters

METHOD:
Blend ingredients and stir over ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with orange peel and serve straight up.

Succotash’s Gochujang Michelada

INGREDIENTS:
6 oz Dominion Candi (Belgian style tripel) or beer of your choice
1.5 oz Gochujang michelada mix (see below)

METHOD:
Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of a glass halfway around. Place a mixture of equal parts Korean chili flakes and Kosher salt on the half moistened rim. Fill the glass with ice. Add the michelada mix. Top with the beer, and stir 3-4 times to evenly distribute all ingredients. Garnish with a straw and a lime wheel.

Gochujang Michelada Mix Ingredients (yields 7 micheladas):
2 oz Chung Jung One’s Gochujang Korean Chili Sauce
1.5 oz Crystal Hot Sauce
5 oz Fresh lime juice
1.25 oz Fresh orange juice
0.5 oz Worcestershire sauce
0.5 oz Old Forester Bourbon
0.25 oz Honey
Preparation:
Add all of the ingredients into a pint-sized container. Mix thoroughly. Store in the cooler when not in use. Shelf life: two days.

* Mango Habanero Margarita -Available at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar in NYC (A bonus because some people just love margaritas)

INGREDIENTS:

1 ¾ parts Milagro Silver tequila

¾ parts Orange Curacao

1 part mango puree – Perfect Puree

1 part scratch sour mix

2 slices fresh habanero

4 drops Bitterman's Hellfire Habanero Shrub - available at Tommy Bahama

METHOD:

Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice and shake with a Boston shaker to blend. Pour into salt rimmed double rocks glass and top with 2 slices of habanero.

Will you be trying any of these for Cinco de Mayo? Do you have your own special cocktail for the holiday? Still totally stuck on margaritas? (We won't judge.) Let us know in the comments.

Booze Clues: 5 Cinco de Mayo Sippers

Party! Fiesta! Forever! 

It's Cinco de Mayo, which has basically become "Cinco de Drinko" in the US. (FYI: Cinco de Mayo does NOT commemorate Mexico's Independence. Instead, it celebrates the Mexican army's unlikely 1862 defeat of French forces at the Battle of Puebla.) While some will enjoy drinks at their favorite bars, others will keep things a little more lowkey and toast at home.  If you're among the latter group, here are some drinks you might want to try (don't worry. They're not all margaritas):

Riazul Plata “Nuevo Manhattan” – created by Leo Robitschek

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ oz Riazul Plata Tequila

½ oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth

½ oz Punt e Mes

½ oz Combier Orange Liqueur

½ oz Nonino Amaro

3 Dashes Angostura Bitters

METHOD:

Stir and Strain into a coupe

Victory- Available at Toca Madera, Hollywood:

INGREDIENTS:

Throw 10-12 leaves of fresh mint in highball

.75oz lime juice 

.25 simple syrup

.5 oz Ancho Reyes Liqueur

1.5 oz Herradura Silver Tequila

METHOD:

Build ingredients in tin. Shake and strain into highball. Top off with ice. Add four dashes of the chile arbol infused Peychaud bitters. Garnish with mint sprig. 

Petal Pistol from Lock & Key Social Drinkery (Named the best margarita in LA)

INGREDIENTS:

1oz Blanco tequila

.5oz hibiscus infused apple jack

1oz Cointreau

.75 lime

.25 simple syrup

1 dash Aztec chocolate bitters

METHOD:

Salt the rim of a rocks glass. Build ingredients over Tajun Ice.

For those counting calories: 

Parrot Bay Margarita with Coconut Water

Refrigerate can of Parrot Bay Margarita. Serve over ice. (150 calories)

2 Skinny Drunks Classic Margarita

INGREDIENTS:

2 Ounces 2 Skinny Drunks Premium Organic Margarita Mix (45 calories) buy HERE

1 Ounce Premium Tequila

METHOD:

Shake ingredients with ice. Pour over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lime. 

Booze Clues: What to Drink on Cinco de Mayo

 

Raise your hand if you think Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day. Put it back down. QUICKLY before anyone sees you. Seriously, though, don’t feel bad because lots of other people are also misinformed. May 5 commemorates the 1862 Battle of the Puebla, in which the Mexican army achieved an unlikely victory over French forces. (Think of the movie 300, but in Mexico with the underdog winning and without the ab-bearing war capes.) This year is the 150th celebration. We Americans like any excuse for a good, boozy party, though. Here are cinco choice concoctions to sip after shouting ‘Salud’ (because maybe you don’t want a regular margarita today).

 

El Jimador Cinco Punch

If you happen to be hosting a party for Cinco de Mayo instead of participating in a bar crawl or bottomless cocktail brunch, this is the drink for you. It’s got plenty of alcohol (sure to make the piñata dangerously fun), but it also has a fresh, bittersweet flavor.

Recipe:

• 1 Bottle El Jimador Blanco
• 1 Bottle Prosecco
• 4 oz Aperol (if you can’t find Aperol, Campari is a good substitute)
• 1.5 Liters Pink Grapefruit Juice
• 750ml Honey Syrup

Garnish: Pommegrante seeds, raspberries lime and pink grapefruit discs for garnish

Glass: Punch bowl + serving Glasses

Preparation:

1. Place Ice carefully into the punch bowl

2. Add all liquid ingredients and stir gently but thoroughly

3. Garnish with raspberries, pommegrante seeds, lime discs,  pink grapefruit discs

*Photo credit: El Jimador

 

Voli Light Low-Cal Latin Lover

Watching your weight (while praying to Chalchiuhtlicue, the Aztec goddess of love for a bit of romance) tonight? This 144 calorie cocktail is for you. Ordering it at the bar just might catch the ear of a handsome reveler. It’s sweet and doesn’t have the kick of tequila, so be extra careful not to drink it too quickly or drink too many.

• 1.5 oz Voli Orange Vanilla
• 2 oz Lemonade
• .5 oz Agave Nectar
• .5 oz Pineapple Juice

Glass: Rocks

Garnish: Orange Twist (or a little umbrella for a tropical flair!)

Preparation:

1. In a mixing tin, add ice, Voli Orange Vanilla, Lemonade, Agave Nectar and Pineapple Juice.
2. Shake and strain into a rocks glass

*Photo credit: Voli Light Vodka

 

VnC Cucumber Margarita

Have you and your crew decided to make Cinco de Mayo a girls’ night in? (I’m not judging. Sometimes all you need is cocktails and your favorite chicas.) Opting for a ready-to-serve cocktail will keep things super simple. All you have to do is pour VnC Margarita into your glass and garnish with a cucumber slice. (I haven’t had a chance to sample VnC yet, but the concept seems cool.) It’s made with 100% natural fruit juice and no artificial preservatives, additives or colors. It’s also 13.9% premium tequila (about 28 proof) and 150 calories or less per serving.

*Photo Credit: VnC

 

Drambuie Cactus Bite

Whiskey drinkers, fret not. Drambuie’s brand ambassador, Anthony Caporale conceived a cocktail that gives you the bite of tequila with the kick of whiskey.

Recipe:

• 1 oz. DRAMBUIE®
• 2 oz. Reposado Tequila
• Juice of ½ Lemon
• ½ tsp. Sugar
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters

Glass: Highball

Garnish: Lemon wedge

Preparation:

1. Fill mixing tin halfway with ice and add all ingredients.
2. Shake until tin is frosted and then strain into glass over fresh ice.
3. Garnish with lemon wedge and serve with a straw.

*Photo credit: Drambuie

 

Mexico REVOLUCION

Here’s one for the hearty drinker. It’s tart and as complex to consume as it is in flavor. I doubt I’ll have to warn you not to have too many of these, but do remember that it’s 100 proof (yes, that’s very strong).

Recipe:

• 2 oz. of Tequila REVOLUCION 100 PROOF
• 1 lime
• 1 lime supreme
• Lime zest (1/2 lime)
• Orange zest (1/4 orange)
• 1 dash of Natural Syrup
• Grain salt, Worm salt

Preparation:
Stir the lime juice in a glass with a touch of natural syrup. Then, add crushed ice and the lime and orange zest. Last, add the grain salt. The drink serves itself in complement with a shot of tequila REVOLUCION 100 PROOF. Stir the shot into the glass and observe how the elements merge while you pour it.

TIP: If you do not have worm salt, frost the glass with salt, mixed with ground-roasted peppers.

*Photo credit: Tequila REVOLUCION

 

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Cutesy Tuesday: Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Slingbacks &

Cielito Lindo Los Corazones...

It's Cinco de Mayo! Ole! It's pretty gloomy out for most of us on the east coast, but you're not disheartened. As a matter of fact, you've decided to keep some sun in your heart even when you can't see it in the sky. C'mon, share it and brighten other peoples' day. Your Vivienne Westwood x Melissa Lady Dragon slingbacks (available at epauletshop.com) are the perfect way. You've had them since their January debut, and you've finally found the right occasion for their inaugural run. What better day to debut them than a rainy one? They're rubber, so they won't get ruined in the rain, and the red heart makes them festive. The 3.5 inch heel isn't as high as you usually wear, but that just means you can dance more tonight.

A pretty Pomegranate Margarita (recipe & image courtesy of Cabo Wabo) tonight would only be right. You can settle for whatever your bartender concocts, or you can ask for Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila mixed with a little simple syrup, a few pomegranate seeds and some passion fruit juice. It'll be a tasty concoction, but don't overdo it. If you do, you'll wake up feeling like your head was the pinata at the party.