Praise The Pearl - Blue Smoke's Blood-Orange Margarita

I have to admit, I've been a little ahead of the blood orange curve, having created a drink of my own, the Bloody Good Screw (email me or post a comment if you'd like the recipe). Perfect for brunch! Just today when I opened New York magazine, I dropped it almost immediately and ran to get a pen to write down the ingredients for Blue Smoke's Blood-Orange Margarita and then ran further, out the door, to purchase them. I didn't even look to see what Adam Platt was up to. The recipe is below (it's delicious!), with my suggestions and comments in italics.

Blue Smoke’s Blood-Orange Margarita

FOR THE BLOOD-ORANGE PURÉE:

4 blood oranges, peeled, segmented, and seeded

1 tablespoon simple syrup (combine an even ratio of sugar and water in a bottle and shake until sugar is dissolved) I use a 2:1 ratio of water to sugar, it's too sweet otherwise for me. I also boil it all until melted together, and let cool by an open window while peeling the blood oranges.

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

FOR THE MARGARITA:

1 lime wedge and coarse salt I suggest Morton's Coarse Kosher Salt for rim

Ice

2 ounces puro blanco tequila I had a convenient nip of Don Julio Blanco Tequila on hand

1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice (approximately 2 1/2 limes I don't think this is true, I used a half of a big juicy Persian lime)

3/4 ounce orange liqueur I used Cointreau also on hand, I wonder what using Patron Citronge might be like

1/2 ounce simple syrup

3/4 ounce blood-orange purée

1 lime wheel (optional) I didn't do it, I just used a lime wedge.

1 blood-orange wheel (optional) I didn't do that either.

FOR THE BLOOD-ORANGE PURÉE:

In a blender, combine the orange segments, simple syrup, and lemon juice and purée until smooth. (Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use; the purée will keep for up to two days.) Oh, just drink it straight away!

FOR THE MARGARITA:

Moisten the edge of a rocks glass with a ¼-inch wedge of lime. Sprinkle a good amount of salt on a plate and press the outside rim of the glass into the salt. Chill glass in freezer for a few minutes. Fill cocktail shaker and glass with ice. Add the tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, simple syrup, and blood-orange purée to the shaker and (1) shake vigorously. (2) Strain into glass and (3) garnish with orange and lime wheels.

(Adapted from Mix Shake Stir, Little, Brown, 2009.)

What they don't tell you is how gorgeous it looks too!