Welcome back to Drink What You Desire, a monthly column. Here, we explore the art and science of mixing drinks via the lens of innate human desires. Last month, we celebrated idealism. This month, we’re deep in the dog days of summer and are featuring the Melted Firecracker Margarita.
In much of the world, the month of August is considered the apex—or nadir—of the summer season. It’s the last few weeks before school resumes, vacations end, and the rush of autumnal productivity begins. For me, it’s a time of quiet. It is a time when I satisfy my innate desire for tranquility by slowing down and taking things easy.
Photo: Budgeron Bach via Pexels
August is a Special Time in NYC
As a committed New York City resident, I love the way the city feels in August. The city’s fair weather friends have absconded to posh locations. The emptied-out city swelters with a feral heat, and time seems to slow. An enduring—if acoustically bothersome—feature of city summer life is the ice cream trucks, patrolling their neighborhoods with promises of sweet, icy relief from the summer heat.
This month’s drink reflects the ease and tranquility of summer’s dog days by relying on a frozen mainstay, the Firecracker. These red-white-and-blue-striped popsicles contain all the key components of a great cocktail: sweetness, acidity, and cherry, lemon, and blue raspberry flavorings. To this, we add some unaged Tequila and voilà! One of the easiest cocktails I’ve ever created. This drink requires no special equipment, no measuring (unless you want to), and the toughest thing about it is the patience required as you wait for the ice to melt.
Photo: Mikhail Nilov via Pexels
Let’s Talk Tequila
Before we get to the Melted Firecracker Margarita recipe, let’s talk Tequila. Tequila is a Mexican spirit made from the blue weber agave varietal in one of five Mexican states, the most prevalent being Jalisco. Agave plants take four to six years to mature, and they are hand-harvested by jimadores using extremely sharp blades attached to poles. The heart of the agave plant—the pinas—is then roasted and squeezed to extract a sweet, earthy liquid. The liquid is then fermented and later distilled to increase the alcohol content.
Blanco Tequilas generally do not see any barrel aging, while reposado Tequilas see at least three months, and anjeo Tequilas are aged for at least one year. Two crucial things you need to watch out for on any Tequila label are “Hecho en Mexico” and “100% de agave.” This means that the liquid inside is authentically made and not a “mixto,” which is a type of Tequila made from half real Tequila and half another type of spirit, plus gnarly flavorings. Remember all those horrific Cinco de Mayo hangovers in college? It’s because you were drinking a mixto.
Melted Firecracker Margarita: The Recipe
Makes one drink.
Quantity
2
1-2 ounces
Allow the popsicles to thaw and soften until the sticks can be pulled out. Add the popsicles and tequila to a cocktail shaker and shake until combined and slushy. Serve with a straw.
If you don’t have a shaker handy, just place the popsicle stick-side up in a glass and pour in the tequila. Use the popsicle as a stirrer until fully melted.
