You read that right, and with this recipe you get a free history lesson. (“Make it a double, bartender—this is gonna take a little while!”)

I confess needing to look up what the Pastry War was, and thank you to Wikipedia for telling us all we need to know about this quaint, three-month fracas. Top line, it was the first French “intervention” in Mexico, a/k/a the First Franco-Mexican War, after Spain recognized Mexico’s independence in 1830. There was a second, more serious and prolonged conflict between France and Mexico from 1861-1867—the one that gave us Cinco de Mayo when the Mexican army defeated France in the battle at Puebla. But Americans barely noticed that war because—as I hope most readers recall—we had a serious family argument of our own going on at the same time.

Among a number of complaints registered before 1838 by French immigrants to Mexico with their king back home, a pâtisserie owner near Mexico City charged that Mexican army officers had looted his shop, and he asked King Louis-Philippe to secure 60,000 pesos from the Mexican government in reparation—even though his shop was valued at only 1,000 pesos. (Insert a joke here about how seriously the French take their pastries.) France’s prime minister rolled all of the complaints up to demand payment from Mexico for damages in the amount of 600,000 pesos. Mexico refused, France responded with a blockade, and complications ensued, including the un-retirement of one General Antonio López de Santa Anna and a battle at Veracruz. And then a peace treaty. I’ve no idea what ever became of that pastry chef, but his life’s work is memorialized in the name of a splendid little war.

Enough of that. The point is that this Margarita is mostly Mexican, with the invasion of a French spirit (St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur). Hence the name.

There’s also a dash of Montenegro Amaro in there, but that’s Italian so I don’t know what it has to do with a Franco-Mexican war. Maybe Italian mercenaries were there, fighting for France?? Maybe a pasta shop in Veracruz got caught in the crossfire? At any rate, if you don’t already have a bottle of Montenegro in the house and aren’t sure you want a full-size bottle, see if your favorite liquor emporium has the 50 ml (airplane size) bottles. One of those will provide all you need for this drink, and you can taste the leftover to see if you’ll like it for other purposes. It is a useful and tasty spirit to have on hand.

This is a lovely and delicious drink, but if you like spicy tequila cocktails it’s no Melinda’s Margarita. Some muddled jalapeño and more of that good Mezcal spice would get you there, though.

THE PASTRY WAR MARGARITA
1½ oz Tequila reposado—a little more, if you’re inclined
½ oz Mezcal
½ oz Amaro Montenegro
½ oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
½ oz Fresh lime juice
Salt to taste

Shake all ingredients with ice and fine-strain the mix into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a slice of lime.