It's National Tequila Day this Saturday, July 24! Instead of spending a lot of dough bar-hopping, we suggest making your own drinks. Mixologist Mark Drew of gives you his best tequila recipes for summer fun:
Ingredients:
• 2 oz El Jimador Blanco
• 2 oz blood orange juice
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz ginger syrup
• 1 1/2 oz club soda
Instructions:
1. In a Boston shaker, combine all ingredients, except club soda.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Strain over crushed ice in a 12-oz high ball.
4. Cap with soda and stir with a bar spoon.
5. Garnish with a nail of ginger and a peeled lime segment.
Ingredients:
• 2 oz Herradura Blanco
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 5 raspberries
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz egg white
Instructions:
1. Place raspberries at the bottom of a shaker, crush them with a muddler.
2. Combine all ingredients over ice in a Boston shaker, egg white last.
3. Shake vigorously till the drink has a soft white foam.
4. Strain gently into a chilled coupe glass.
5. Garnish with a Raspberry.
Ingredients:
• 2 oz Herradura Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz lime juice
• 3/4 oz vanilla syrup
• 4 x 1″ pineapple cubes (fresh)
Instructions:
1. Muddle the pineapple in a Boston Tin.
2. Add all liquid ingredients.
3. Shake vigorously.
4. Strain in your glass of choice.
5. Chilled cocktail glass or coupe.
6. Old-fashioned glass over cubed ice.
7. Garnish with pineapple.
Ingredients:
• Herradura Blanco 2 oz
• 2 lemongrass syrup 3/4 oz
• 3 Lime Juice 3/4 oz
• 4 cilantro, large pinch
Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass over cubed ice.
2. Shake vigorously till cilantro has broken down.
3. Strain through a fine strainer into a chilled glass.
4. Garnish with a single large cilantro leaf.
Lemongrass syrup instructions:
1. Make a simple syrup, 1:1 cane sugar to water.
2. Finely chop 3 stems of lemongrass.
3. Heat a sauce pan.
4. Place lemongrass in the pan for 15 seconds, then add simple syrup.
5. Cover, bring to boil for 2 min.
6. Simmer for another 5 min.
7. Leave to cool.
Ingredients:
• 2 oz Antiguo Blanco tequila
• 2 oz pink grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz agave nectar
• 1 1/2 oz club soda
Instructions:
1. Rim a highball glass with spice mix (see below).
2. Ice up the highball.
3. Into a Boston shaker, pour all ingredients except the soda.
4. Shake well.
5. Strain carefully into the rimmed glass.
6. Cap with soda and stir gently.
Instructions for the Spice Mix: Take sea salt and a little table salt, combine in a saucer with cayenne pepper and smoked paprika, crush together, and mix well.
–Mark Drew