Happy National Margarita Day!

This is my favorite Margarita—Melinda’s Margarita—and the trick to it is getting the heat just right. Trust me; I made the the overkill variation once.

Once.

Melinda is my friend who suggested improving another recipe I used by muddling 2-3 jalapeño slices in the shaker before adding ice and shaking the drink (or a shortcut: juice from a store-bought jar of jalapeño slices). 

The first time I tried it, I used three slices of fresh jalapeño, after removing the seeds, and it was perfect for my heat palate (at least, I remember it so). The next couple, using the same amount of de-seeded fresh jalapeño, weren’t as hot as I was hoping for. So I tried the juice-from-a-jar approach. It sorta got there after a couple of tries, but wasn’t as satisfying. So, one night I selected one of two very small jalapeños Nancy brought home from Wegmans, and not wanting to undershoot, I included the entire pepper (sliced), reserving one slice for the garnish and discarding the stem.

And when I say “entire pepper,” I mean I included the seeds, too. … That was the overkill variation.

Maybe I should have used just half of the pepper with seeds, but in my defense that jalapeño was REALLY SMALL.

On the up side, that drink lasted all night. Even after the glass was empty. Throw it out and start over? Not on your life; that would have cost me my Man Card.

Okay … each of us has a different tolerance for spice heat, so I urge you to adjust this recipe to your taste—but to my taste, bar-and-restaurant Margaritas are all lime and no sombrero, if you know what I mean. I want to taste the tequila (it’s not a breakfast drink, after all), and I want the kind of spice heat that makes so many of us love Mexican or Southwestern food. Go ahead and experiment, keep notes on how it goes, and then memorialize your personal favorite ‘rita recipe. And feel free to name it after yourself.

Also, never trust the inconstancy of jalapeños.

MELINDA’S MARGARITA
2 oz Tequila reposado
1 oz Fresh lime juice
3/4 oz Agave syrup
1/4 oz Mezcal (or more, if you please)
3 Slices of jalapeño (seeds removed)*
3-4 Cranks of cracked salt (or a healthy pinch of granulated)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and muddle to crush the jalapeño. Add ice and shake until ice-cold. Fine-strain (to remove jalapeño bits) into an ice-filled rocks glass.

*Alternative: Use a generous teaspoon of juice from jarred jalapeños instead of slicing and muddling fresh jalapeño.

Garnish: Lime twist OR a rosette of a curled lime peel and jalapeño slice. Flame the lime peel, if you dare! That adds a little more smoke on top of the mezcal.