CINCO DE MAYO!
Tequila, scorpion honey, harsh dew of the doglands,
essence of Aztec, crema de cacti;
tequila, oily and thermal like the sun in solution;
tequila, liquid geometry of passion;
tequila, the buzzard god who copulates in midair with the
ascending souls of dying virgins;
tequila, firebug in the house of good taste;
O tequila, savage water of sorcery, what confusion and mischief your sly,
rebellious drops do generate! ~Tom Robbins (1936 – ), Still Life with Woodpecker (1980)
Celebrate with margaritas and friends!
MARGARITAS
Place in a shaker or blender:
2 parts tequila
2 parts frozen limeade concentrate (do not dilute)
1 part triple sec
Shake or blend until frothy. Serve on the rocks or straight up. Rim glass with salt or not. Garnish with a slice of lime.
Serve with corn chips and guacamole or salsa. Then Tacos for dinner!
GUACAMOLE
One of my favorite foods and certainly my favorite dip, always fresh-tasting guacamole reminds me of summer. I have never found an acceptable ready-made guacamole. That might be due to the avocado’s fragility; the color can go off quickly, and there is a narrow window in which the flavor is right. Guacs that I’ve bought always taste more of preservatives than of actual food. And the elegant and ripe avocado is the whole point.
Combining two of my favorite flavors – avocado and cilantro – I never need an excuse to whip up some guac. So try it yourself; it’s quick and easy, the most sensitive element being the ripeness of the avocado. If not soft/ripe enough, they will be difficult to mash and the flavor will be wanting. Buy your avocados ahead of time to allow for optimum ripening. Remember: if the skin is green/black, the flesh just beginning to yield against gentle pressure and stem wiggles free, it’s ripe and ready for eating.
Great with chips or cruditĂ©s (especially cucumbers and mushrooms), and good on a sandwich of tomato, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts and pumpernickel bread. Load it into hard-cooked egg whites for the best deviled eggs. Wherever there’s guac, it’s a party!
