In case social media has not informed you by now, today is National Margarita Day. Be sure to enjoy it responsibly, and hit up some of our local bars and restaurants for a frozen version or one on the rocks with freshly squeezed lime juice and your favorite tequila.
But if you're feeling ambitious, you can take it up a notch with a real mixmaster's version of the cocktail.
Jarhn Blutstein of East End Mixology (@eastendmixology and eastendmixology.com), based in Springs, has been enjoying a pineapple ginger adaptation of the drink, taking advantage of the plentiful and delicious pineapples from Costa Rica available now and remaining in season through the end of the month.
Ms. Blutstein has been in the business of taking artisanal specialty cocktails on the road to private parties and public events since 2021, when customers she knew from previous stints as beverage director at Gurney's Inn in Montauk or working at Le Bilboquet in Sag Harbor asked her if she could serve drinks at their parties. As a new mother, she did not want to go back to those regular late nights at the restaurants and bars. Having her own business put her in charge of her time and also brought other former colleagues, friends, and fellow mothers back into the mix. They appreciated the modified work schedule, too.
"I know when we entertain I spend so much time making people drinks," she told The Star last year, "while my husband [the chef Jeremy Blutstein] is cooking, and we don't get to mingle as much as we'd like to."
Caterers have bartenders, but the drinks tend to be more basic, including the signature cocktail. Her approach to cocktails is to juice seasonal fruits and vegetables and accent them with herbs and essences. She recreates a high-end cocktail experience at home (or for weddings, benefits, and other parties, both large and more intimate) for clients she works with to customize the style of drinks she serves.
The niche Ms. Blutstein has created has proven to be a popular one, and business has taken off over the past few summers. A margarita is a constant on her drink menus. She has her preferred recipe for the cocktail, and has developed versions that are spicy, or made with persimmon, watermelon, passionfruit, ginger, or mango, among other options. She garnishes her concoctions with special salts and/or dehydrated fruits and vegetables for a bravura finish.
The pineapple ginger margarita recipe relies on fresh pineapple juice and agave infused with ginger and cinnamon. Enjoy.
Pineapple Ginger Margarita
Makes one serving.
2 oz. tequila (a favorite is Maestro Dobel Diamante Cristalino)
1.5 oz. fresh pineapple juice (either juiced or blended and then strained)
0.75 oz. fresh lime
0.5 oz. cinnamon ginger agave *(recipe below)
** Garnished with East End Mixology's Pineapple Ginger Salt
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice, shake, and strain into a rimmed rocks glass over fresh ice. (Garnishes pictured: East End Mixology Pineapple Ginger Salt, a pineapple leaf, and dehydrated pineapple slice.)
* Cinnamon Ginger Agave:
8 oz. water
8 oz. light blue agave
2 cinnamon sticks
2-inch piece of ginger, sliced
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add in the cinnamon sticks and sliced ginger. Add in the agave and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Take off heat and strain the liquid. Once it's cooled to room temperature, label and store in your fridge for up to three weeks.
