I have to admit, I miss bartending during this pandemic. Meeting new people and having discussions with strangers who are willing to tell me crazy parts about their lives is something I love. People always trust bartenders with their secrets that they can’t tell anyone else. I miss seeing the failing tinder dates and speaking to the person who ends up staying at the bar afterwords to tell me how it went. I’ll always help perk them back up.
The recipe for this Margarita is derived from the bar I work at Town Hall Pub. I decided to add mint and to make it a little more fancy. This margarita is not messing around. If you like a sweet and weak margarita, this is not the margarita for you. It consists of 3 shots per drink, 2 shots of tequila and 1 shot of Cointreau (fancy) or triple sec (dive bar classic). You definitely will want to dance to the new Dua Lipa after one of these babes.
If you live in Chicago and you’ve been to Boystown you have probably been to Town Hall Pub. It’s a dive bar right in between Scarlet and Roscoes. There are jello, gummy bear and pudding shots as soon as you enter the door upon arrival. It’s a magical flashback to 1969 with magazine covers pasted on the bar.
The bar is closed for now but one day it will open again. Robin’s Dancing On My Own will blare out from the jukebox. Until then make this margarita at home and please support my co-workers though this tough time Go Fund Me (money is not for me) Thanks!
Ingredients
MINT SIMPLE SYRUP
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup filtered water
- ½ cup mint leaves
MARGARITA
- 1 cup tequilla blanco ( I used Espolon)
- ½ cup Cointreau (or triple sec)
- ½ cup mint simple syrup from above
- juice from 4 limes (about ½ cup)
- 1 lime for garnish
- a couple of mint sprigs for garnish
Instructions
MINT SIMPLE SYRUP
- 1. In a small saucepan add the water and sugar. Heat on medium until it comes to a boil and the sugar has melted. Reduce the heat to low and add the mint. Steep the mint for 30 minutes. 2. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to remove the mint leaves into a container. Set in the fridge to cool.
MAKING THE MARGARITAS
- 1. In a pitcher, add ice, the tequilla, cointreau, simple syrup and lime juice. Stir until well combined, about 1 minute. Serve in a salted glass over ice. Garnish with lime and more sprigs of mint.