Cheryl's Key Lime Martini w/ Macadamia Nut Sugared Rim

Last week I stopped by the house of a friend to drop off a belated birthday gift. Little did I know I would be leaving with a gift as well.  It was early evening when I arrived, having just left work a short while before making the drive.  As is usually the case after a long day at work, I was starving.  Not that I know what starvation really is, I just knew that since my breakfast yogurt nothing else but water had passed my lips all day. The cold leftover pizza in the refrigerator was all the sustenance I thought I needed before day's end.

As soon as I got into Cheryl's house she said 'let me make you the Key Lime Martini'.  My plan was to only stay for a few minutes and get home to warm up the leftover margarita pizza. But upon hearing the word martini, I thought, well okay, maybe it will be a liquid dinner tonight.  And does one really say 'no' to a martini?  Well maybe. But 'go with the flow' was resonating in my head. The cold leftover pizza would have to wait for another day. I had wondered if this key lime martini would be 'too sweet', but it took only one sip for me to discover it wasn't too sweet at all.  Actually it was 'just right'. Immediately I knew I absolutely had to ask for this recipe, as this was one martini recipe I wanted to make for others.  Okay, so maybe I wanted to taste test it again just to make certain that being in a state of starvation wasn't affecting my judgment.

As we were enjoying this martini, Cheryl wondered if it needed to be served with a graham cracker rim.  Too sweet was my thought.  And then the epiphany.  A macadamia nut sugared rim.  A kind of liquid version of the key lime pie, only not as tart. It wasn't until the weekend that I experimented with the macadamia nut rim. After just one trial, I knew that if this martini was going to have a rim garnish, this would be the one. Don't you just love when you get something right on the first try?  

To say that I have an obsession for glassware, dishes and serving pieces would be a slight understatement.  Seriously I could probably supply the glassware and dinnerware for a gathering of more than a hundred people, maybe even two hundred people.  So when I walked into a Pier I store last weekend and saw what I thought looked like vintage looking martini glasses, I knew I was probably not leaving without them. The sale price was too good to pass up was how I rationalized this purchase.

I can be, or shall we simply say, a little particular about the brands of vodka I like.  If I had not tasted this martini, I think I would have walked past the aisle or shelf where Pinnacle Whipped vodka was displayed. Pinnacle must sell at least twenty different 'flavors' of vodka. Who knew?  Besides not ever drinking the Whipped Vodka, I don't ever recall ever tasting Dr. McGillicuddy's Intense Raw Vanilla Liqueur. Just its' name had me visualizing it as something maybe once described as 'cures all aches and pains'. You know, like those elixirs sold in the mid 1800s.  (Maybe living in this farmhouse has me channeling a different century.) This martini calls for one cup of the Vanilla liqueur and a half cup of all of the other ingredients.  The proportions in the recipe make at least two to three martinis, depending on the size glasses you are serving it in.  Not only did it perfectly fill three of my new martini glasses, there was enough for at least one refill.

I didn't have a lime, let alone a key lime when I was making these martinis.  So I had to use a lemon to rim the glass. Citrus works so much better than water when trying to adhere the macadamia nut sugar mixture to the martini glass.  While you can serve this martini without the macadamia nut sugared rim, there is something about the taste of the macadamia nuts that balances out the flavor of the martini.

The rimmed glasses were just waiting for the shaken, not stirred Key Lime Martini.  After I rimmed the glasses with the macadamia nut sugar mixture, I took them outside to pour and serve the martinis.  This maybe just be one of the go-to summer beverages.  Maybe I would go so far as to say it will be the 'house' martini, at least for awhile anyway. When blueberrry season arrives in early July, the 'house' martini will switch to Lemon Drop. But that's more than two months away.  

Recipe
Cheryl's Key Lime Martini with a Macadamia Nut Sugared Rim 
Ingredients
1 cup Dr. McGillicuddy's Intense Raw Vanilla Liqueur
1/2 cup Whipped Vodka (recommend the Pinnacle brand)
1/2 cup Key Lime juice (recommend Nellie and Joe's brand)
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup macadamia nuts (toasted and finely chopped)
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions
1. Lightly toast macadamia nuts in oven at 300 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove and let cool.
2. Place macadamia nuts and sugar in food processor and process into fine crumbs. Place mixture on a flat plate.  Set aside.
3. Put crushed ice in martini shaker.
4.  Add all ingredients and shake until well blended.
5.  Wet the rim of the martini glass with a lime or lemon. Dip martini glass in macadamia nut crumbs.
6.  Pour martini into glasses and serve immediately.

With the days getting longer and the weather turning much warmer and sunnier these past few days, I have gone to the ocean to take long end of the day walks.  Hearing the ocean and watching the sun set are such incredible distractions, I think I could walk for hours. I love being able to walk the beach when no one else is there.  Maybe its my inner Lone Ranger that likes the solitude or maybe its as simple as being able to take photos of the landscape without any other distractions. Or waiting for others to move out of 'that perfect shot'.

As I am now on week two of giving up my diet soda addiction, I feel like I am getting closer to pushing myself to run again. It seems that as I get older, it feels like time is moving much to quickly.  Days turn into weeks, weeks into months and before I know it, I have let some valuable time slip away.  I had made a promise to myself two weeks ago. I promised I would not just 'think' about getting out in the fresh air and exercise, but I would 'act' on this promise. One's spirit, soul and body do not receive any benefits from just 'thinking about doing something' I remind myself.  And yes, I have spent way too much time thinking lately. Glad I am finally moving past this stage.

The Perfect Cosmopolitan

When I was in Tucson I was on the hunt for tequila shot and margarita glasses as I thought I would find the best selection there.  And as it happened, there was. Not only did I find the perfect tequila shot glasses, I also found some incredibly beautiful glasses that could be used for either martinis or margaritas. As I am generally not known for being the most practical person, I surprised even myself when I selected these glasses. But the moment I walked into the store they caught my eye.  Made of recycled glass and having a white iridescence to them, I knew they were exactly what I had envisioned. Thankfully the store in Tubac shipped because I was not going to be able to bring them on the plane.  And I absolutely had to have them.

Ever since my first martini at a restaurant in Balboa Park in San Diego I have been looking for the perfect Cosmopolitan recipe.  Finally, in Ina Garten's newest book, Foolproof, was the Cosmopolitan recipe worthy of christening my new dual purpose martini/margarita glasses.  This is one smooth, delicious, perfect martini. And seriously, this is THE one you will want to serve to your friends.  But you too are worthy of this Cosmopolitan! Just make sure you are serving some food with these Cosmos. You along with everyone else will want to remember the evening, particularly the Cosmos.

It all begins with freshly squeezed lemons. After the lemons are squeezed, you pour the juice into a tall pitcher.  Added to the lemon juice is the cranberry juice, vodka, Cointreau, and egg white. When all of the ingredients are combined, stir until combined.  I used the 'red' cranberry juice, but it works equally well with white cranberry juice. The recipe yields enough for either four regular sized martini glasses or two over-sized martini glasses.

I attribute my tolerance to consuming vodka to my Polish ethnicity.  Unfortunately I didn't learn about this tolerance until well into my adult years. My favorite is Grey Goose and I always keep a bottle in the freezer.  It is the only vodka I use when making or ordering martinis. This recipe calls for filling the cocktail shaker half-full with ice and then adding enough of the Cosmo mixture until the shaker is almost full.  You then shake for 30 seconds, no cheating on the time, as you want this cocktail mixed perfectly.

I used the dash of egg white when making these Cosmos.  This is optional and I know some of you may be a little skittish on consuming raw egg whites. Earlier in the day, my neighbor brought over a dozen eggs from her chickens so I felt it was an omen of sorts to stay true to the original recipe. The egg whites create a foaminess to the Cosmo, creating a perfect finishing touch.

Recipe
The Perfect Cosmopolitan (a very slight adaptation of the Dukes Cosmopolitan recipe shared by Ina Garten)

Ingredients
4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
4 ounces Cointreau liqueur
7 ounces of cranberry juice (red or white)
7 ounces of vodka, Grey Goose highly recommended
Dash of raw egg white (this is optional but it adds something to this martini)

Directions
1. In a pitcher, stir the lemon juice, Cointreau, cranberry juice, vodka  and egg white.
2. Add ice to a cocktail shaker.  You will want the cocktail shaker to be half-full with ice.
3. Pour enough of the cosmopolitan mixture into the cocktail shaker until it is almost full.
4. Shake for a full 30 seconds.
5. Pour the strained Cosmopolitan into some martini glasses.
6. Pour into four regular sized martini or two over-sized martini glasses.  Enjoy.

Way back in college the only alcohol I drank was either beer or wine, mostly beer out of the bottle.  So when I turned 21 I thought maybe I should have a cocktail.  I have no idea what possessed me to select a Manhattan as my inaugural 'adult' beverage.  Unfortunately it was the only cocktail I had ever tasted up to that point in my life and it would be the only one I would have tasted until well into adulthood.  At the wedding of my future husband's sister, I had two Manhattans during the cocktail hour.  I must not have eaten during the day, probably wanting to make sure I fit into the tight long green dress I had bought for the occasion, because within hours into the reception I was not feeling very well.  Well that would be an understatement. I thought I was going to die.

So to make a long story short, I became so sick that it was more than 25 years before I allowed 'hard liquor' to pass my lips again. I guess I was never meant to be a bourbon girl.  Oh well I guess there are worse things.  I remain appreciative to my friend Sue who reintroduced me to adult cocktails, more specifically, the martini.  Some things, as they say, are worth the wait.  However, if you are someone who loves to serve or drink martinis, don't wait too long before making this Cosmopolitan.  Procrastination is usually not a good thing.

Margarita, Hill Country Style with a Twist

I think spending five days in Tucson last week has me obsessing about tequila and margaritas.  Not a bad thing really. So the first time I actually drank tequila was at Landry's restaurant in Chicago having dinner with friends. That is, if you call 'licking salt from your hand and then immediately devouring the shot' drinking tequila.  After my first exposure to tequila, I couldn't help but wonder how this way of drinking of tequila wasn't very different from the consumption of bad tasting medicine.  For some reason that first experience didn't exactly send me running to the store to buy tequila. It wasn't until I was in San Antonio and someone brought me one of those frozen margaritas they serve during the cocktail hour that I had my second experience drinking tequila. Being presented with a frozen margarita was a really kind and thoughtful welcoming gesture, but after looking at the concoction served in a plastic glass, I thought 'pretty sure what is in here is not really good tequila'.  Then I looked at what the person who brought me the frozen margarita was drinking.  The beer in his hand was all I needed to confirm my suspicions.

I began to think I was destined to not acquire an appreciation of good tequila or a good margarita until one night having dinner at restaurant, Bien Trucha, in Geneva, Illinois, with friends.  From the margarita to the flight of sipping tequilas, I learned what a great margarita and great tequila tasted like. The third time, as they say, was definitely the charm.

While I am not an expert in tequilas by any means, I seriously do think in a blind taste test I could tell the difference between the first tequila shot I drank, the tequila in my first frozen margarita and the tequila I had at Bien Trucha.  (As an aside, for those you who live within 100 miles of this restaurant, you need to go there for the food and the drinks.  It is an amazing little, and I mean little, gem of a restaurant. Lines form for lunch and dinner at this place, it is that kind of good. And if your tequila drinking experiences were like my first two, well this place could be a turning point for you too!)

Often when I want to learn more about something I either look to read a book about it or just try to seek out information through an internet search.  Seems there are quite a few internet sites rating, describing, discussing and debating the merits of the wide variety of tequilas on the market. Yes, I know the internet is filled with all sorts of misinformation, but I actually found a most interesting site: The Tequila Connection.  The writers of this site claim they evaluate tequila 'on the aroma, initial taste, body, flavor and smoothness...trying not to focus on price or presentation as you don't taste the bottle and prices vary considerably'.  They also have a disclaimer of sorts which leads you to believe they do not seem to take themselves too seriously.  And in spite of their rating information they pretty much say you need to decide for yourself what your taste preferences are.  Whoever the people behind this site are, I think I like them.

As much as I enjoy tequila all on its own, not everyone does. So the margarita may be the most fun way to serve and enjoy tequila.  There are so many margarita recipes written in books devoted to only margarita recipes, there doesn't seem to be enough time to make them all.  Well, maybe there is. In doing some research, it seems the classic margarita has at least three ingredients:  tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice and some type of orange liquor.  One of the least expensive orange liquors is Triple Sec while the more popular and most pricey of the orange liquors are Cointreau and Grand Marnier. Some say these two orange liquors are interchangeable in a margarita, that the one you choose is all a matter of taste.  Others claim the Cointreau doesn't detract from the flavor of the tequila and should be the orange liquor used when making margaritas. Again, like the 'guys behind The Tequila Connection website, ratings are only ratings, what matters is how it tastes to you. My personal preference is using Cointreau in margaritas.  Not sure why, it just is.

Rebecca Rather's original Hill Country margarita recipe called the use of guanabana nectar.  Even though I had made this recipe with agave nectar, I thought I would try to find some guanabana nectar while I was in Tucson last week.  But amazingly, no one in Tucson had ever heard of guanabana nectar. I was actually proud of myself for managing not to drag my friend to every grocery store in Tucson on my quest to acquire some guanabana nectar. I can get a little obsessed at times with wanting to experience a recipe as written, but seriously, the agave nectar is absolutely perfect in this margarita.  If guanabana nectar never passes my lips, I don't think I will be deprived.

Fresh limes and lemons make a difference in a margarita.  The combination of these two citruses are incredible. You might be lulled into buying a bottle of margarita mix, but if you never use fresh fruits you might never know what you are missing.

Seems the choices of drinking margaritas are 'with or without salt' and 'on the rocks or straight up'. I am a 'with salt and on the rocks' margarita girl.  Wetting the rim of a glass with a lime or water will enable the salt to stick perfectly to the glass.  Remember you need a coarse salt for margaritas.  The margarita salt from Williams-Sonoma is one of my favorites, but Jose Cuervo sells margarita salt too.

These margaritas are great all on their own but they go perfectly with the guacamole recipe shared with you a few weeks ago.  I don't know about you, but when drinking tequila I seem to need the balance of having a little bit of food in my stomach.  It's all about trying to maintain balance (literally and figuratively) as well as some sanity when drinking tequila.  I don't know about you, but I want to remember what I did and said after consuming a couple of margaritas.  Chips and guacamole or chips and salsa or chips, guacamole and salsa all go perfectly with margaritas.

Recipe
Margarita, Hill Country Style with a Twist (slightly adapted version of Rebecca Rather's Hill Country Guanabana Margaritas)

Yield:  Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cups Silver Tequila
3 Tablespoons of Cointreau
1 Tablespoon confectionary sugar
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup crushed ice
Coarse salt, for coating the rid of the glasses
Lime wedges
More ice

Directions
1. Mix lime juice, lemon juice, tequila, Cointreau, confectionary sugar, and agave nectar in a large cocktail shaker.
2. Add one cup of crushed ice and shake until cold.
3. Pour coarse sugar on a plate, rub glasses with lime edge and then dip glass in sugar.
4. Fill glasses with ice.
5. Using a cocktail strainer, pour drinks into glasses.

I have been known to be a little gullible, okay maybe more than a little.  But anyone who tries to convince me a bottled margarita mix is better than mixing fresh ingredients will not even sway the oh-so gullible me.  Maybe it is because the bottled mixes remind me of the not so pleasant frozen margarita drinking experience I had in San Antonio years back.

Okay here I go again, making some of you ask yourself 'Who in the heck is this blogger?, Didn't she say more than once here taste is all a matter of preference?, Why I am reading this blog anyway?'  The answers are:  just a simple girl who likes nice things; yes I did say that; and well, I can't answer that last one.  So unless you are completely taken aback by what I just wrote, I really do hope you make this margarita recipe and then decide for yourself if it is any good.  For those of you who have been making margaritas with a bottled mix, I hope this recipe convinces you to shift from convenience to authenticity when making yourself and your friends margaritas.  Who knows, this could be your signature drink this summer. But then again why wait for warm weather, this is a four season margarita.