National Tequila Day on 7/24-Get Ready to Celebrate

You know what to do on National Tequila Day! Chill a ready-to-drink cocktail, mix a tequila-based libation, or visit a local spot that specializes in craft cocktails. We have rounded up some great ideas for our readers. This year, all things tequila falls on Sunday, July 24th so you can celebrate throughout the entire weekend.

Ready to drink cocktails are a convenient way to enjoy a sip when you are on the go or to present a variety to family and friends. Here's a few of our favorite RTDs that incorporate tequila.

Miami Cocktail Company has a great tequila-based RTD canned cocktail, the Margarita Spritz that is perfect to celebrate by the beach, pool, or park. The Miami Cocktail Company is a canned craft cocktail brand based in Miami,Using fresh, high-quality ingredients, Miami Cocktail Co. produces canned cocktails with superior taste. These ready-to-drink, Organic Spritzes are non-GMO, vegan-friendly, gluten-free and come in five vibrant pastel BPA-free cans, including Organic Bellini, Margarita, Mimosa, Paloma, and Sangria SPRITZ. At 110 calories per can, and $12.99 per 4-pack of 8.4 oz cans, these simply enjoyable beverages are perfect for any occasion.

Created by CANTEEN Spirits, CANTINA is a line of tequila sodas offered in three bold expressions - Ranch Water, Grapefruit Paloma, and Watermelon Margarita. Each can is packed with flavor, crafted with premium Blue Weber Agave, and contains only 99 calories making CANTINA an exceptional choice for celebrating the national holiday. The cans can be enjoyed alone, or paired with delicious dishes such as fresh guacamole or grilled lime shrimp, or over ice with a garnish. CANTINA is made to be enjoyed your way, to be brought on-the-go, and shared with friends and family.

If you are out and about, check out these spots that are making delicious cocktails with some of your favorite tequilas.

Canary Club located on the Lower East Side serves inspired cocktails that include The Two Fridas, which features an unusual combination Reposado Tequila, Ilegal Mezcal, Aperitif Wines, Thyme Liqueur, and Cassis. It pairs perfectly with Canary Club's modern American dishes, such as their Wood Oven Roasted Oysters and Canary Club Fried Chicken.

Sereneco in Greenpoint, Brooklyn offers a menu of farm-to-table American fare with Italian influences, including share plates and seasonal entrées, alongside delicious cocktails. Their Hibiscus Margarita highlights the nuances of Blanco tequila, paired with floral hibiscus and tangy lime.

8282, located on the Lower East Side, focuses on serving elevated modern Korean cuisine in a casual setting. The restaurant is owned by Pado, Chef Bong Le Jo and Jee Kim, who makes frequent trips to Seoul to ensure 8282's menu remains authentic. The menu is divided into two categories: small plates called Anju, which means food you eat with alcohol in Korean, and larger shared plates named Banju, meaning alcohol paired with good food. To create a cocktail program that shares flavor notes with their food, Jo and Kim enlisted the help of mixologist Katrina Sobredilla. Their Gochujang Margarita is a spicy margarita made with tequila, gochujang syrup, and yuzu triple sec, topped with dried orange.

The Garret West in the West Village is a cozy and intimate speakeasy, an ideal spot for date night, pre-dinner drinks, or late-night cocktails. The clandestine watering hole offers tequila fans creativity and seasonal ingredients with The Spikey Westchester, made with sweet pineapple and cool mint and paired with a subtle kick of habanero and fresh lime. Grab a burger on the way up and enjoy the warm, inviting atmosphere.

La Devozione in Chelsea Market, is the latest opening by Giuseppe Di Martino. The goal of La Devozione is to introduce guests to Giuseppe's renowned dry pasta and Neapolitan culture, while allowing them to enjoy the different shapes of pasta with ideal ingredient pairings. The cocktail program has been designed by Beverage Director Cristhian Rodriguez. All drinks feature an Italian element, a New York element, a culinary element, and a narrative element. Try the Let's Get it Started, made with Reposed tequila, Marolo Milla camomile, honey, ginger, lemon, and orange bitters.

Mollusca is a spirited, sophisticated global seafood restaurant with Italian influence in the Meatpacking District. The menu was designed by Executive Chef Gianmaria Sapia and features extensive raw bar selections, an Italian-inspired pasta and risotto course, seafood-centric main courses, and the signature dish and namesake, mussels served in 35 unique sauces. Beverage Director Kate Uglova creates cocktails with intricate flavors and uncommon ingredients. Guests love the Tequila Pineapple, made with tequila blanco, fresh squeezed pineapple juice, fresh ginger, and fresh lime juice.

Mix a drink at home that will definitely impress. The four recipes we have collected go way beyond the classic margarita.

Cactus Table

Ingredients:

-2 oz El Bandido Yankee Blanco Tequila

-1 oz Lime Juice

-3 Cucumber Wheels

-Tajin

-.75 oz Prickly Pear Syrup

-2 Dashes of Fire Water Bitters

Method: Combine all the ingredients into a shaker and shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds. Strain into an ice filled rocks glass and garnish with a cucumber wheel topped with a pinch of tajin.

Grapefruit and Jalapeno Margarita

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 oz. Jose Cuervo® Tradicional® Reposado*

-1 oz. of freshly squeezed red grapefruit juice

-1/2 oz. agave nectar

-1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

-1 oz. orange liqueur

-3 fresh jalapeño slices

Method: Add all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Salt your rim if desired, shake, and pour over ice. You can add the jalapeño into the mixer and mix for a stronger kick, or add to the drink after and let sit for a minute before drinking. Enjoy!

Mangoneada

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 oz CAZADORES Tequila Blanco

-1 oz mango juice or puree

-1 oz lime juice

-1/2 oz agave nectar

-Chamoy and Tajín rim

Method: In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients with ice, shake and serve over ice in a rocks glass with a Tajín and chamoy rim.

Limonada (Cocktail Credit: Anna Thorn, Bar Manager at Boka)

Ingredients:

-1.5oz Casa Noble Reposado

-1/2oz Brandy

-1/2oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Method: Combine all ingredients together in a shaker with ice, shake, and double strain to rock glass. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Freeimages.com

To post a comment, you must register and login.