Midnight Margaritas for Cinco de Mayo

Have you ever participated in Midnight Margaritas?  It’s exactly what it sounds like… when the clock strikes 12:00, it’s time to stop whatever it was you were doing (sleep included) and start the blenders.

They’re a commitment, Midnight Margaritas; a commitment that many people feel they need a reason to participate in.  Perhaps combining the art of the Midnight Margarita and the celebration of Cinco de Mayo is reason enough?

Cinco de Mayo marks and celebrates Mexican heritage and culture and it’s observed in Mexico and in Mexican-American communities nationwide. While it commemorates an unpredicted victory over a division of the French army during the American Civil War, Cinco de Mayo has since evolved beyond the historical event to become something much more festive. Today, we celebrate the 5^th of May with Mexican cuisine, Mexican music and culture, and, perhaps most notably, beverages (margaritas!) and parties.

For your Cinco de Mayo celebrating purposes, we’ve put together a list of some margaritas with Hispanic twists—drinks incorporating traditional Mexican beverages and twists on common margarita favorites.  Pour, mix and enjoy!

Horchata

You’ll need—1 cup uncooked long grain white rice, ½ cup milk, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1 qt warm water, ½ tsp almond extract, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar and a few whole cinnamon sticks.

To make—blend rice and warm water in a blender for 1-2 minutes until rice breaks up slightly. Refrigerate rice mixture for 6 hours or overnight. Strain rice mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove solid rice pieces. Pour rice water into a blender.  Add milk, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon and sugar, then blend for 1 minute until smooth. Serve over ice with cinnamon stick stirrers.

Pineapple Chili Margaritas

You’ll need—margarita mix, 2 tbsp coarse salt, 1½ tsp chili powder, ice, 1 cup tequila, 1 cup pineapple juice, ½ cup fresh lime juice and 1½ tbsp agave nectar.

To make—fill a cocktail shaker 2/3 full of ice, then add tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice and agave nectar. Shake well and set aside.  Mix salt and chili powder in a wide-bottomed bowl. Wet the rim of four short drinking glasses and dip into salt mixture. Strain beverage into salt and chili powder-dusted glasses. Enjoy.

Michelada

You’ll need—1 lime cut into quarters, kosher salt, 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup Mexican pilsner-style beer, ¾ tsp hot sauce and ice.

To make—run a lime wedge around the rim of a chilled pint glass, then dip the rim onto a salted plate. Squeeze lime wedges into the glass, then drop wedges in. Add hot and Worcestershire sauces, fill glass with ice, pour in the beer, stir and serve.

Jalapeno Margaritas

You’ll need—margarita mix, salt, 16 ounces of tequila, jalapeno, celery leaves, 6 ounces of fresh lime juice, 1 tsp confectioners’ sugar and 8 ounces of orange liqueur.

To make—in a blender, blend 1 thin slice of jalapeno, a handful of celery leaves, confectioners’ sugar and fresh lime juice. Pour margarita mix, tequila and orange liqueur in a pitcher, then the jalapeno mixture. Mix well. Serve on the rocks in salt-rimmed glasses.

Spanish Sangria

You’ll need—4 ounces of gin, 2 bottles of dry red wine, 3 tbsp sugar, 4 oranges, 4 lemons, 2 limes, 24 ounces of guarana soda and ice.

To make—combine wine, sugar, gin and the juice from three oranges, three lemons and one lime in a large pitcher.  Slice the remaining fruits and add wedges to the pitcher. Stir well and let sit in refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, pour mixture into ice-filled glasses and top with guarana soda.

Tequila Refresca

You’ll need—ice cubes, 1 ounce of tequila, a dash of Campari, small wedges of fresh pineapple, small wedges of grapefruit, small wedges of lime and 6 ounces of grapefruit soda.

To make—fill a glass with ice, then add the tequila and Campari. Top off with grapefruit soda.  Skewer fruits and add to glass.  Stir concoction with the skewer.  For an added twist, serve these drinks with a plate of wedge pineapple and a bowl of chili powder and coarse salt for dipping the fruit skewers.