Margaritas, Baby

Walk with me.

You are twenty years old, sitting in a dive bar on the outskirts of San Antonio. San Antonio is the desert. You prefer the snow, yet love led you astray. This isn't the kind of bar that will serve you some trendy, alcohol-free beverage besides Coke, and Coke is not going to be enough to rescue a Canadian in Texas after a long day of spelunking.

You've been legal to drink in Canada for a year, but your 'right' to drink in Texas is a little. . . fuzzy—like that bowl of peanuts you ignore. Currently, it's hotter than whoopee in woollens, and you don't just want a cold one; you NEED it. So, you follow your friend's advice and pull the classic Texan distraction technique: you lean forward while ordering. (Remember, this is the state with the most Hooters restaurants in all of the USA.) Bingo, menu in your hands.

You've only got a few options, and you run down the list.

Beer in this heat is out of the question.

Piña coladas are for kids and '70s R&B.

Daiquiris may be tasty, but this isn't your granny's retirement complex in Florida.

Your boyfriend recommends a margarita.

You're a lime toss away from Mexico, so you decide to do Jimmy Buffet proud; you take the suggestion and order yourself your first margarita. The delicious, citrus slush slides down your parched throat. It's gone before you know it.

The deep south lives for large cups. Sadly, big cups can't solve every problem. You're still parched, only the brain freeze has your speech blocked. Plus, you don't want to look like a lush. It's like he reads your mind, and your boyfriend urges you to "go ahead enjoy your margaritas, baby". He orders up a refill for you on your behalf.

And supposedly chivalry is dead—not in Texas it's not.

They say when you know, you know.

And right there, on that dirty bar stool, you take the plunge and make the commitment. No, not the boyfriend, too early for that. You label margaritas as your favourite summer food. It remains your favourite summer food of all time—even fifteen years and scores of free drinks later.

Ah, sweet memories of youth...

*

Now, I know all of you insta-experts just spat out your overpriced Pinot when you read the word 'slush', but baby, you're not a sommelier, and yeah, you read that right: slush. It has to be slush based. It's best if you blend in the goopy, sugary, pre-mixed ooze from the supermarket with the crushed ice. Don't pretend like you've never tried it. I see you. Though, admittedly, it is better if you can add in some fresh, local limes.

For you true foodies out there, yes, there are loads of other enriched versions of the drink. Keep in mind, however, that if the legends are to be believed, some guy made this in 1936 to impress a Ziegfeld Follies dancer. And just look at how I first got my hands on it. Its origins aren't exactly..."upper-crust", so I beg of you, for that true summer-favourite-taste, keep it simple. If you can't bring yourself to use the sugary stuff, there are substitutes. But, in my humble opinion, aside from upping the quality of the ingredients, you really shouldn't start getting too fancy; you're wasting everyone's time and dimes.

Margaritas are like mac n' cheese; they are food for the masses. They serve fast and go down easy.

Food for the masses satisfy. They are any occasion must haves.

Budd gets it. Do like Budd.

***

RECIPE

I like this one from celebratingsweets.com.

Ingredients

Simple syrup:

• ▢3 tablespoons boiling water
• ▢3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Margaritas:

• ▢½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ▢½ cup tequila
• ▢¼ cup orange liqueur
• ▢simple syrup, to taste, I used 2 tablespoons
• ▢3-4 cups ice, plus more if needed

▢Coarse salt for the rim of your glass

Instructions

Simple syrup:

Stir sugar into boiling water until dissolved. Place in the fridge (or speed it along in the freezer until chilled, but not frozen.

Margaritas:

Place coarse salt in a small bowl. Moisten the rim of your glasses with lime juice or simple syrup, then dip into the salt. Set aside.

Place all remaining ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and slushy. Add more ice to thicken, if necessary. Serve immediately.

- Allison, Celebrating Sweets

That's a wrap, folks. I'm two in now and hungry for something else to fill me up. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend this set of recipes from your fellow creators.

~This story is entered into the Summer Camp Challenge on Vocal Media~

About the Author:

Les lives a quiet life in Canada with her three rescue cats. She primarily writes children's and teen fiction but will delve into anything that gets the swirling words out of her brain. Her first book, Owl in a Towel, is available for purchase here. Publishing inquiries may be directed to [email protected].