Most of us have one or two liquors that we can’t – or won’t – touch again. Whether it was vodka from one too many Jello shots in college, or gin from a martini binge, or, in my case, tequila from a bottle of the cheap stuff while visiting friends at Cornell, we tend to veer away from those drinks that aren’t remembered all too fondly. In my case, that one bad tequila night (when someone wisely drew a skull-and-cross-bones on the bottle so it wouldn’t happen again) didn’t totally temper my time with the agave-based alcohol. It did take me a few years before trying it outside of anything other than a margarita, but eventually I came around, and I currently enjoy its distinctive bite.
A platinum tequila formed the base of this Paloma Cooler, but for an easier to assemble pitcher fit for a group, I recently tried a Tequila Cranberry Cooler, which uses a silver tequila. I’m neither knowledgeable nor experienced enough with it to know which is better, or the major distinctions between the varying metallic degrees, but I think I do prefer a silver to a gold, especially when we’re not talking margaritas.
Tequila Cranberry Cooler
Ingredients:
– Lime wedge
– Ice
– 6 ounces silver tequila
– 2 ounces Campari
– 1 cup cranberry juice
– ½ cup fresh orange juice
– ¼ cup fresh lime juice
Mix well with ice and serve with lime garnish.
It’s on the sweet side for my taste, but if you kick up the tequila a bit it balances out. The Campari also works to counteract the sweetness, as does the lime juice (the final integral turn of the tart screw). It ends up this lovely shade of red, a fiery indication of its potency (for it does pack a punch if done correctly).
