Margarita Recipe
Fortaleza blanco tequila, lime, agave nectar, Madagascar vanilla bean, orange peel, black salt
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Ingredients
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Cocktail
Garnish & Rim
Method
Prep the vanilla-agave
Infuse a small amount
Scrape the seeds from one Madagascar vanilla bean. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the scraped seeds into the 0.5 oz agave nectar until evenly distributed. This releases the vanilla aroma into the agave and slightly thins it for easier mixing.
Rim the glass
Place the black finishing salt in a shallow dish. Run the lime wedge around the outer edge of a rocks glass (or coupe) to wet the rim. Gently dip the wet rim into the black salt so it adheres in an even ring. Set the glass aside to let the salt set while you mix.
Shake & chill
Add the Fortaleza blanco tequila (2 oz), fresh lime juice (1 oz), and the vanilla-infused agave nectar (0.5 oz) into a cocktail shaker. Add the scraped vanilla pod (you may include the empty scraped pod for extra aroma if desired) and fill the shaker with 6 ice cubes.
Seal the shaker and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is well chilled and slightly frosted. This chills and dilutes the drink to the proper balance.
Double-strain the cocktail into the prepared glass using a fine mesh strainer and the shaker's strainer to remove ice shards and any large vanilla pod fragments.
Finish & garnish
Express the orange peel over the surface of the cocktail: hold the peel skin-side down about 3–4 inches above the drink and give it a firm squeeze to release the oils across the top. Rub the peel around the glass rim (inside the salted ring if you like extra aroma), then drop the peel into the drink or rest it on the rim.
Garnish with a lime wheel on the rim and serve immediately. Advise the drinker to sip so they get the interplay of black salt, vanilla-accented agave sweetness, bright lime, and the Fortaleza blanco tequila.
