DOS MARGARITAS DOS

This one, for a four-day trip for two to Guadalajara to learn about tequila, made me realize that it has been ages since I last had a margarita. Martinis have been my cocktail of choice for so long that I practically forgot margaritas existed. Ah, margaritas, straight up, as cold as cold gets without becoming frozen, with a little salt on the rim, shaken and stirred.

I used to drink margaritas, way too many margaritas, when I cavorted, danced and otherwise lost myself with a long-lost friend from South America. I’ve had margaritas in Houston, California, Mexico, Florida, Costa Rica; in Costa Rica, the waiter deposited the drinks on my friend and my table with a flirtatious, “Dos margaritas para dos margaritas.” (As for martinis, I had my first Manhattan in Brooklyn, with the Manhattan skyline in full view, and my first Apple Martini in Manhattan, at The Algonquin.)

This is a contest as opposed to a sweeps. To enter, folks must submit an original design depicting margaritas using software provided by the website. Before you proceed, you should consider the rules. They’re strict in that the design you submit must never have been previously published or won any awards; I’m okay with that. I’m a writer, not a designer.

The rules are vexing in that all designs become the sole property of Chili’s, the contest sponsor. I don’t know if I’m okay with that. I realize that technology has pushed us to the edge of some new, yet-to-be-delineated intellectual-property frontier, and we, the collective culture, are rethinking the rules. I think if I were a graphic artist, I would refrain from entering this one, on the grounds that I did not want give away a design for which I might one day be able to charge. But since I’m a writer, there’s no economic self-interest or risk here. I’m entering. If you want to, click here. I can't report back on how my entry went, because I keep clicking the entry icon before verifying my proof of drinking age.

As for tequila, which is made from juices of the blue agave plant, this site is a tremendous source, including recipes. As for recipes, I’ll post the one I posted yesterday, the one a friend sent me some years ago; along with a gift, an antique silver shaker, circa 1900.

1 ½ ounces Tequile (she recommends Sauza Hornitos)
1 ½ ounces Cointreau or Triple Sec (the first choice being Cointreau)
Juice of one whole lime, or to taste

As for Guadalajara, I know very little. A visit would be a discovery.