I’ve found dumpster-on-fire gifs a more relevant and appropriate response in 2020 than I could ever have imagined. Cancelled trip? Cartoon dumpster on fire. Laid off and job hunting in a seriously low economy? Well, that merits a flaming dumpster floating down a flooded street.
Of course 2020 has brought some good things. A couple of healthy, happy babies were born to people I love earlier in the year (not me, thankfully). The lock-down period was relatively easy for me and my husband (maybe even downright delightful for Sofie having both of her humans around almost all the time). I’ve discovered the joys of teaching yoga online (I’m planning another virtual yin yoga class for Friday, August 28th—more info coming soon) and practicing with teachers from a distance (HealHaus in NYC has been a lifeline).
And I’ve come up with my perfect margarita. An ideal cocktail for reflecting on 2020’s dumpster fire tendencies and planning for better days.
It’s based on a three-ingredient margarita recipe I loved when we lived in Vancouver—tequila, canned limeade, and Corona. Not fancy, but delicious and a little dangerous.
Given that canned limeade is super tough to come by outside of North America, I looked for a creative substitution. Enter Rose’s Lime, easily found in grocery stores across Europe. I’m sure margarita traditionalists would be scandalised, but the bright green syrupiness echoes the artificialness and impossible-to-find-in-nature florescence of canned limeade—with a hit of citrus, some sour notes, and a lot of sweetness.
On it’s own, Rose’s Lime was overwhelming and took artificial a step too far for a slurp-able margarita. The solution is a combo of a traditional shaken marg and the limeade version, with an optional hit of cold beer to tone down the alcohol and make it a little less dangerous for day drinking.
The final result is easy to scale up for a crowd or drink solo—and it’s perfect for blunting the smell of smouldering garbage while watching the flames of this year’s dumpster fire.
How to make my perfect margarita
Pour 1 part fresh lime juice and 1 part Rose’s Lime into a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 part Cointreau and 2 parts silver tequila and shake until well-combined and chilled (about 20 seconds or until the shaker cup is quite cold).
Use a lime wedge (or one of the halves left from juicing the limes) to wet the rims of your glasses and dip the dampened bit in salt. I generously salt just half of the rim (a trick I think came from Rick Martinez that makes it easy to take salty/sour/sweet glugs while also enabling desalinated sipping).
Tumble a few ice cubes into the glasses and pour in the shaken lime/liquor mixture. Top with 1-3 parts cold Corona if desired. (That last bit is highly recommended if you’re anticipating a long drinking session—the undiluted margaritas go down dangerously easy. )
It’s not a traditional margarita, but it is deliciously perfect for dulling the pain of a year that’s been far from the one I’d imagined. And I don’t even miss the limeade.