In Search Of...

the origin of the Mexican Martini.

I've tried ordering it outside of Texas and get strange looks. I now know why: it's a Texas creation, and more specifically, it looks like it is an Austin invention.

After doing a little online research, I found that both the Cedar Door and Trudy's claim to be the home of the original Mexican Martini.

Cedar Door actually sells Mexican Martini mix and says that their recipe is as follows:

2 oz. Tequila
2 oz. Triple Sec
2.5 oz. Mexican Martini Mix
1 Fresh Squeezed Lime
3 Green Olives

The Austin Chronicle had this version of the Door's recipe in 2005:

In a 16-oz. shaker full of ice, combine:
1.5 oz. Sauza Gold Tequila
1.5 oz. Hiram Walker Triple Sec
Finish with freshly squeezed lime juice, a splash of orange juice, and sweet and sour.
Shake well and serve in a champagne glass with a salted rim, garnished with three olives on a sword pick and a lime wedge.

Trudy's doesn't list their recipe on their site, but I found one claiming to be their's on Recipezaar.

The local Tex-Mex place here in Leander, Jardin del Rey, makes a wonderful one and I know they do not use Sprite® in their's like some recipes I found call for. The recipe I found that is closest to Jardin's is the following:

Fill the shaker half full of ice
2 parts tequila
1 part triple sec or Grand Marnier
a splash of olive juice (from the jar you get the garnish olives from)
a splash of lime juice
roughly 1 part of sweet and sour mix (lemon based), usually less than 1 part, whatever fills up the cocktail shaker
Shake well and serve in a martini glass garnished with a few olives and the martini glass can be rimmed in salt.

So, it appears this uses sweet and sour mix in place of Cedar Door's Martini Mix. I read elsewhere that Cedar Door's mix is primarily pure cane sugar, water, and citrus oils.

I've also seen a few recipes call for a few dashes of olive juice, but I think the olives in the bottom of the glass will be more than enough saltiness to cut through the sweetness of this drink.

Oprah's Pomegranate Martini

from: the show Oprah and Rachael Ray Throw a Holiday Party

my note: I used Bacardi Limon instead of Absolute Citron or white tequila. One, because it was cheaper...and two, because Dustin doesn't like dry alcoholic beverages. It was very good with the rum. I also found that using martini glasses, this made closer to 4 drinks rather than 2.

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
2 oz. Absolute Citron vodka OR white tequila
1 oz. Cointreau liquor
1 Cup ice
Optional: Splash of sparkling water
Optional: Squeeze of lemon

Serves 2.

Sparkling White Sangria

from: Julissa Hernandez

note: I got this recipe from Juli to use for a bridal shower I threw last summer. It was a great recipe and super easy to make. I kept her exact wording here, because that's what makes recipes personal and special. :)

Buy cheap white wine (one of those BIIIIG jugs)
1 20oz seltzer water
Karo Light Corn Syrup (1 cup)
Triple Sec (orange liquor) (1 cup....but to kick it up i add A LOT more ;) )
juice from 1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 orange
assorted fruits: red and green apples sliced, oranges sliced, strawberries sliced, and grapes (I freeze them to use as ice cubes so you don't water it down with real ice- before you freeze them separate them into little bunches f 3's or 4's)

Combine corn syrup, triple sec, and juices of the lemon, lime, and orange and let sit for 30 minutes.
Keep the wine and seltzer chilled as well as all the fruit slices

As people start to arrive add all the wine stir well, add the fruits and frozen grapes.

Add seltzer last to keep it sparkly.