The Bluebonnet Margarita

Driving back home from Dallas last week, I noticed a peppering of wildflowers along parts of the highway, and each little patch managed to lighten my mood just a little bit more. 

Each time I saw Bluebonnets, though, I was elated. I've loved Bluebonnets since I was a kid--they always seemed so special to me--and if you were lucky enough to have them growing in your yard? Oh, I'm still jealous of those neighbors. (In fact, we just planted some seeds outside our house, so I can enjoy them from our porch, and perhaps lighten some other person's day.)

In honor of Spring and my favorite flower, I decided to make up a drink yesterday at work--with a bit of cheek mind you.

Trying to be funny, I mixed Blueberries with Scotch Bonnet peppers (get it?) in a margarita. If you've ever bitten into a Habanero pepper (a Scotch Bonnet) or rubbed your eyes after cutting one, you understand my concerns for this drink; but my fear of destroying everyone's palates subsided with my first taste (and the second... and third).

What a surprise! It was delightfully sweet upon first sip, with a light punch of spice at the end that didn't linger at all. The blueberries came through subtly, but not overwhelmingly, and I could taste every ingredient equally.

Here's what I did: 

I muddled about 10 blueberries (depending on their size) and a sliver of Habanero (Scotch Bonnet) pepper without seeds with Gran Centenario's Rosangel Hibiscus Tequila and Cointreau. 

I made this drink a couple of times with different liquors--also Dripping Springs Vodka, Herradura Silver Tequila, and Cazadores Reposado Tequila. I decided on the Rosangel, because of it's complexity and sweetness, which I think responded really well to the blueberries and held up strongly to the Habaneros. I like the taste of the liquor to balance with the ingredients in my drinks, not be covered up by them.

After muddling, I added ice and about an ounce each of fresh squeezed lime and simple syrup, and then I shook the crap out of it and strained it into a chilled martini glass rimmed with Hawaiian Black Sea Salt.

The resulting drink is a deep purple fiesta in your mouth. Enjoy.

A NOTE for anyone who has never worked with Habeneros before:

Hold the pepper with a bevnap, or wear a glove when cutting. The pepper's oils can burn sensitive skin, but for most people it will just end up in your eyes or rubbed on your face--and it HURTS!!!

The Bluebonnet:

1.25 oz Gran Centenario Rosangel

.5 oz Cointreau

~10 small Blueberries (adjust for size)

1 tiny sliver of Habanero pepper, seeds removed

- I would say 1"-1.5" long, about a 1/8" thick (but you don't need to be exact)

(muddle above ingredients)

1 oz fresh squeezed lime

1 oz simple syrup

Shake over ice, strain and serve in a martini glass rimmed with Black Hawaiian Sea Salt

Garnish with a lime stabbed with a skewer of blueberries

Salud.

Again, apologies for the photograph--I'm buying another digital camera this weekend!