We recently had the occasion to spend a few days in Scottsdale, Arizona. After a cold east coast winter this was a very welcome escape. While there we enjoyed many good Mexican inspired meals that went well with hand crafted margaritas. Upon returning home we were inspired to create one that we saw on many menus.

FLW-Chihuly 1Please allow me the liberty of a slight detour to share a wonderful cultural experience. A few months ago, I learned through a post on Facebook that Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West was home to a special exhibit of Dale Chihuly’s glass sculptures. At the time we had no plans to visit Scottsdale, so I just lived vicariously through that friend. As soon as we made our plans, I knew we had to make a trip to Taliesin West. While we had been twice before this was an extra special visit.

CFLW-Chihuly 2hihuly’s pieces fit so well into the landscape surrounding Wright’s structures – it was as if they had always been there. It made a wonderful architectural gem even more magical. While I am drawn to many of the sculptures, my favorite is the one Chihuly designed especially for this installation, Marine Blue and Citron Tower (right). I imagine that Chihuly took his inspiration for the top of this sculpture from the budding palo verde trees in the background. This exhibit is only on display until June as there is concern that the glass is too fragile to withstand the annual monsoon FLW-Chihuly 3season. While we have not been, you can also see Chihuly’s works on permanent display at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.

Back to the cocktail – don’t be scared off by the jalapeño. It adds more flavor than spice. I removed the seeds from a few thin slivers of jalapeño and muddled it with cucumber slices in a cocktail shaker. I then added to that freshly squeezed lime juice, a bit of agave for sweetening, plus sliver (or blanco) tequila and Cointreau (an orange liqueur). Shake everything with ice so it gets nice and cold and serve over ice in a salt rimmed rocks glass. I used a piece of cucumber to wet the glass rim and some lovely French sea salt my brother and his family brought back from the coast of France. The salt crystals were the perfect size.

I love it when a drink can take me back to happy travels – this one does.

Cucumber-Jalapeno Margarita

 

Cucumber-Jalapeño Margarita
Print
Recipe type: Drink
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 6 cucumber slices, ⅛″ thick, plus more for garnish
  • 3 to 4 jalapeño slices
  • 2 ounces silver or blanco tequila
  • 1 orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or triple sec)
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice (1 to 2 limes) (see Notes)
  • Coarse salt for rim of glass
  • Garnish with cucumber and jalapeño slices
Instructions
  1. Rub the rim of a lowball glass with a cucumber slice. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of coarse salt and turn until the rim is well coated.
  2. Slice the jalapeño into 3 to 4 thin slices. If you prefer a more subtle heat, remove the seeds.
  3. Add the cucumber and jalapeño slices to a cocktail shaker and muddle them (gently mash) with a muddler or wooden spoon to release their juices.
  4. Add the tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice. Fill the shaker with ice cubes. Shake for 15 seconds until cold.
  5. Fill prepared glass with ice and strain liquid into glass.
  6. Garnish with cucumber and jalapeño slices.
  7. Strain into the prepared glass, and fill it with ice. Garnish with cucumber slices.
Notes
* Before squeezing a lime, heat it in a microwave for about 20 seconds and then rub it back and forth on the counter top. This easy two-step process results in more juice per piece of fruit.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe