There was a great pile of blood oranges in the Chelsea Market last week, and I bought as many as I could carry home. Then I set them out in bowls in the kitchen and dining room to help counter the gloom of this relentlessly cold February with their sunny red-orange color. Blood oranges don’t last long in captivity, though, so when a group of friends came to dinner on Tuesday, I took the opportunity to squeeze many of them into this delicious drink.
I don’t usually think of a Margarita as a cold-weather cocktail, but blood oranges are a winter fruit, so I suppose that gives us come claim to seasonal appropriateness (if you care about that sort of thing). And this drink tastes like a glass of summer sunshine. The color too is (naturally) bright and celebratory –perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Recipe
(for one drink)
2 ounces of tequila (I use a good reposado here.)
1.5 ounces fresh lime juice
1.5 ounces of fresh blood orange juice (strained)
.75 ounces Cointreau
About 1 teaspoon of agave nectar (or simple syrup), or to taste
2 or 3 dashes of Bittermens Habanero Shrub or other spicy green chile bitters (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass full of ice and stir well. Strain into a coupe or serve on the rocks. Garnish with a slice of blood orange and/or a strip of lime zest.
