Taste of Home Field Editor, Sue Stetzel, shares her favorite cocktail for the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo.
I love Fridays! Everyone is always so happy when it rolls around. Make it a Cocktail Friday? Whoa – even better!
This morning it dawned on me that this is a great weekend for celebrations. I mean after all, how often do Cinco de Mayo and Derby Day land on the SAME day!
Derby day is so much fun. I get my giant floppy hat out and wander the house with a mint julep, calling my husband “Frederick” in my best high society voice. “Yoo Hoo! Frederick! Would you be a dear and tend to the garbage?” Needless to say he rolls his eyes and mumbles something to the effect that he’s certain I’ve lost it. I remind him that he loves me because I’m just so funny. He replies, “Uh huh,” and takes out the trash.
Now Saturday is also Cinco de Mayo, so my whole weekend has to be rethought! These celebrations have to be combined for sure. I scanned the web looking for a minty Mexican wonder, and found Blackberry Mint Margaritas! Hmmm, mint from the Derby day tradition, margarita in honor of Cinco de Mayo, and some blackberries thrown in so I can justify it all as healthy. Hey, blackberries are good for you! They’re a super-fruit after all – the fact that they’re soaked in alcohol, well, consider it a purification process.
So…here’s what you do. Take your cocktail shaker and put 6 blackberries in the bottom, muddle those up a bit and add a small handful of fresh mint leaves. Smoosh those around a bit more (smoosh is a very technical term in my kitchen). Got ‘em smooshed? Good. Now, add some ice and a shot of simple syrup, a shot of lime juice and a shot or so of good quality tequila. Shake it up and pour it in your favorite glass. Skewer a couple blackberries to make it fancy, and viola! You have yourself the perfect cocktail to celebrate the merging of these two great occasions!
Now…..what did I do with that sombrero?
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Love this idea to use up some of my “every summer bumper crop” of blackberries, as well as mint from my garden! Can’t wait to try this made by the pitcherful for some of our summer parties! Luckily I have blackberries in the freezer so I can test them out now!!