Summer Spirits
By Colin Perkins, Kate Liebers, & Steve Croyle |
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Cuco's Margarita Tradicional
Cuco's Margarita Tradicional
Photo: Christopher Atwood
A really good margarita bends food to its will. It's sweet, sour, refreshing, and leaves you wondering how you ever enjoyed a taco or tamale without its flavorful tequila accompaniment following after. That's the Margarita Tradicional ($5.65) from Cuco's Taqueria & Grill (2162 Henderson Rd).
Six years ago, Cuco's opened as an authentic Mexican market - offering all manner of supplies for cooking up your own killer meal at home. But the deliciously prepared foods quickly became the bigger draw and over time the store shelves gave way to more and more dining space. Today, diners can still stock up on a few essentials; guavas, salsa picante, mole verde, and even Mexican soccer jerseys. But the main focus is on the food and the margaritas that make it all worth it.
In the Margarita Tradicional, you're dealing with the most dangerous of the bunch - Jose Cuervo Tradicional tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh lime and orange juices - blended to a deceptively smooth and dangerously tasty conclusion and served with a fresh lime-wedge garnish in a big salt-dusted glass. It's so smooth and so satisfying you'll struggle to pace yourself. Just settle in, groove to the lively music, stock up on the homemade salsa and some sizzling fajitas, and keep on tipping back that glass to make every mouth-watering bite even better.
Columbus Fish Market's 1800 Margarita
Columbus Fish Market's 1800 Margarita
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Traditional margarita recipes often end with, "Enjoy at the beach," which, for Ohioans, typically translates to, "Enjoy on a sunny patio." Yet savoring the tart margarita flavors in the cozy, dimmed den that is the Columbus Fish Market's bar (1245 Olentangy River Rd.) brings this chilled tequila drink to a different degree of delight. For those who drink margaritas for the sake of sandy beach daydreams, the nautical theme of the Fish Market's decor keeps their guests near ocean-drift fantasies.
Steering away from thick, syrupy slushies, the Fish Market's new drink menu includes the 1800 Margarita ($8.95), which features Monin organic agave nectar, instead of sugary simple syrup. Hand-squeezed orange juice sets this margarita apart from the classic variety, and with chunks of lemons and limes, this drink is guaranteed freshness. The sweet orange smooths out the sharp shot of 1800 Silver Tequila and bonds fondly with the Cointreau.
For a snappier alternative to the Fish Market's sweet margarita, try the 100% Organic Tequila Gimlet, or what I like to think of as the Margatini. This concoction is comprised of the most critical margarita components - Tierras Blanco Organic Tequila, fresh lime juice, and Monin agave - but drops the added sweetness of Cointreau and orange juice. Request a salted rim to officially blur the boundaries between margarita and martini.
Pitcher Worthy
MoJoe Lounge's Ketel One Lemonade
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Lemonade, that cool refreshing drink...
There's something downright civilized about sitting down at a table and sharing a pitcher's worth of your favorite libation with friends. If you don't have friends, there's something frugal about sitting down at a table and drinking an entire pitcher's worth of your favorite libation.
When people think of pitchers they usually picture plastic containers topped off with a fizzy "lite" beer, but pitcher drinking can be so much better than that.
MoJoe Lounge (600 N High St.) serves up a number of pitchers filled with real and very tasty adult beverages. A favorite is the Ketel One Lemonade. MoJoe mixes up a dandy batch of classic lemonade with a generous pour of Ketel One Citron ($20). K-1 produces a smooth vodka that is easy to enjoy straight up, and their version of citrus flavored vodka is carefully balanced.
Mixing a great drink is a tricky endeavor, particular when using high-end liquor. You don't want to waste something like Ketel One on a jug of lemon-flavored Kool-Aide. That's what Paramount is for. MoJoe's Ketel One Lemonade is crisp, refreshingly tart, and definitely not something you'd find in the ready-to-drink section at your neighborhood grocery chain.
Originally Published: June 1, 2009
