Margarita

* 1 1/2 ounce tequila
* 1 ounce Cointreau
* 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
* Coarse kosher salt
* Lime slice for garnish

Shake liquid ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and strain over ice into salt-rimmed rocks glasses. Garnish with a slice of lime.

There are a million margarita variations out there, most of them awful fruity, blended monstrosities. Even among the simple margaritas, quality can vary wildly. You need good tequila, good triple sec, and fresh lime juice; nothing else will do (certainly not a “margarita mix”).

The classic margarita recipe calls for any triple sec, but for best results, use Cointreau. Grand Marnier also goes great in a margarita, but try replacing just a portion of the triple sec rather than all of it, or just adding a splash of Grand Marnier on top.

The day this photo was taken, we were serving them with homemade southwestern-style black bean veggie burgers, chips, and homemade mango salsa.