Photo/Courtesy of Corzo
Corzo Evolutionary Margarita
By Jonathan Pogash
Ingredients:
2 parts Corzo Reposado Tequila
1/2 part Grand Marnier
½ parts agave nectar
3/4 parts fresh lime juice
6-8 small chunks of your choice of pepper (yellow, red or orange)
Instructions:
In a mixing glass, muddle the pepper in the agave nectar and lime juice. Add remaining ingredients, and shake well with ice. Strain over ice into rocks glass. Garnish with pepper “flag” and lime “bow tie” and optional salt rim.
Despite our government’s and our society’s overall treatment of people moving to the United States from south of the border, this country continues to embrace the culinary creations and libations from Mexico. And what’s not to love? Creamy, tangy guacamole; dance-on-your-tongue salsas derived from chiles, herbs and onions; filled carnitas, tacos, burritos and chile rellenos; melt-in-your-mouth doused pork; baked-in-the-sun corn tortillas; chocolate with spicy chile; flavorful cerveza (beer); and, of course, the sacred ever-refreshing margarita. We’ve rounded up a few authentic joints in town celebrating Cinco de Mayo, the holiday that celebrates the Mexican victory over the French in the 1862 Battle of Puebla, as well as some killer margaritas.
Fiesta Atlanta holds its annual celebration of Cinco de Mayo Sunday, May 2, in Centennial Olympic Park with a free, all-day festival featuring Latin cuisine such as tacos and aguas frescas, live Latin music, artisans selling traditional crafts, and a children’s stage with Mexican folkloric dancers, clowns and storytellers.
North of the Atlanta border, the recently opened INC Street Food features street and market fare from Latin America, including a taco stand serving favorites such as adobo-braised chicken tacos, chili-rubbed skirt steak tacos and crispy shrimp tacos. 948 Canton St., Roswell. 770-998-3114. www.incstreetfood.com.
In Midtown, the Original El Taco is throwing a culinary fiesta of its own with drink specials including $18 buckets of Dos Equis Amber or Lager, $6 margaritas, $4 pineapple-infused tequila shots and $3 Tecates. Be a responsible drinker, and grab some casual gourmet grub, too, like the smoked trout with spicy masa cake and salsa borracho. 1186 N. Highland Ave. 404-873-4656.
Southwestern star restaurant Agave is going all out this Cinco de Mayo with Dos Equis, 1800 tequila and margarita drink specials, as well as traditional Mexican dinner specials on May 3, 4 and 5. On Monday, May 3, the Cabbagetown restaurant hosts a Dine-Out for ARCA (AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta), and will give a portion of the night’s sales directly to the organization. 242 Boulevard SE. 404-588-0006. www.agaverestaurant.com.
Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food makes drinking even more fun with its signature Swirl cocktail (frozen marg swirled with frozen sangria). Share some sizzling fajitas with amigos on the lively patio at either Atlanta location: 1860 Peachtree Road NW (404-350-6767) or 1140 Hammond Dr. NE (678-736-8260). www.unclejulios.com.
Though not technically a Mexican restaurant, the newly minted Thirsty Dog Tavern is getting in on the action with a taco bar from 5 to 7 p.m., and drink specials all day long, including $5 margaritas, $14 sangria pitchers and $3 Coronas. I think we’re all taking a personal day for this, no? 2110 Peachtree Road NW. 404-367-8482. www.thirstydogtavern.com.
Over on the West side of town, Bone Garden Cantina is throwing a fiesta of its own on its recently expanded patio with Sonoran hot dogs (bacon-wrapped dog stuffed into a bolillo and topped with seasoned pinto beans, grilled onions, jalapeños, pico de gallo and mayo), brochetas (mini grilled shish kabobs), $6.50 Herradura margaritas, $5.50 La Vida Baja (a can of Tecate with a shot of tequila), Mexican beer specials and Sister Louisa sangria, as well as live music from 6:30 p.m. to close and a promised visit from Dames Aflame dancers. 1425 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. 404- 418-9072. www.bonegardencantina.com.
While a typical from-scratch margarita certainly isn’t as harmful to your diet as a one made from a mix, an easy-to-make limeade-triple-sec-tequila margarita nets you around 750 calories in one refreshing sugary, additive-laden cocktail. When you’re scarfing down chips and queso and you’re craving a lime-y beverage but don’t feel confident in your mixology abilities, don’t succumb to the limeade. There’s a better option in town now. Marietta-based Sinless Margaritas has just launched its five-calorie margarita mix … and it’s darn near perfect in flavor. The sugar-free cocktail assistant is made from stevia extract, a natural ingredient hailing from a South American plant. Add two parts Sinless Margaritas to one part tequila and ice, and you’ll be saying adios to worrying about counting calories. $7.99 a bottle. Sold at Mac’s Beer and Wine Shop, as well as other local retail locations. www.sinlesscocktails.com.
