Prickly Pear Margarita

Fresh fruit is a wonderful addition to cocktails. It obviously adds flavor, but in the case of this Prickly Pear Margarita, it also adds appealing color as well. 

But many bars often simply muddle fresh fruit into a cocktail and leave it in the glass for you to sort through as you're trying to sip it.

We prefer instead to muddle and shake, but then strain through a fine mesh strainer as you pour it into the glass, leaving the seeds and pulp behind and letting the flavor and color go into the glass. This method is ideal for fruits like the prickly pear, which have hard seeds that could hinder your enjoyment of the drink.

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz. Blanco or Silver Tequila

1/2 Fresh Prickly Pear, Peeled and Diced

1.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

.75 oz. Eli Mason Rich Simple Syrup

.5 oz. Orange Liqueur

Margarita Salt (optional)

Lime Wedge for Garnish

Place the prickly pear in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and muddle to release juices and flavor. Fill with ice and add remaining ingredients. Cover shaker and vigorously shake for 15-20 seconds to chill and further release flavors from fruit. The longer you shake, the more diluted the cocktail will be. If desired, run a wedge of lime along the rim of your glass and dip into margarita salt. Add ice to glass and strain cocktail through a fine mesh strainer into glass. Garnish with lime and serve.