Margarita

When the first pleasant summer day comes along, it's time for home-made potato chips (fry paper-thin slices of potato in peanut oil) and Margaritas on the banks of the Charles.  Until you've had home-made Margaritas with fresh lime juice, you won't really understand what all the fuss is about.

To speed the process and dilute the product as little as possible with melted ice cubes, I store my tequila and Cointreau in the freezer.  As a mixing container, I use a trusty 1-quart nathan's pickled herring jar; any commodious jar would do.

To make a different quantity (the recipe is for one serving), note that the proportions are 3 to 2 to 1 amd mix accordingly.  If there were plenty of big limes available, I would suggest 3 to 3 to 1.

• 1 1/2 oz tequila
• 1 oz freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 oz[+] Cointreau (or Triple Sec)
• ice cubes (for mixing)

• ice cubes (for serving)
• kosher salt (garnish) 

1. Place a lot of ice cubes in the mixing container.  Add the ingredients and shake vigorously.
2. Before throwing out the lime skins, rub the rim of the serving glasses around the outside leaving a film of lime juice.  Dip the glasses in a pile of kosher salt before filling them with ice cubes and the cocktail (discard the ice cubes in the mixing container).

Ginger Lime Margarita 

The original recipe is from Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Spice Market in NYC:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/ginger-lime-margarita-spice-market-recipe-50115885

To make ginger lime syrup in advance:

     1.  Combine in a sauce pan and boil for two minutes:

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (approximately 9 limes)
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar, to taste (original recipe called for 1 cup sugar; we found that unnecessary)
• 4 oz (or more to taste) peeled ginger, sliced into coins

     2.  Let syrup steep and cool in pan.

     3.  Puree mixture in a blender and strain mixture, throwing away solids and pour into a jar to store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the cocktail:

1.  Mix kosher salt and ground ginger onto a plate or flat surface.

2.  Rub rim of martini or margarita glass with lime and coat rim with salt/ginger mixture.

3.  In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine:

• 1 part ginger lime syrup
• 1 part tequila
• .6 part Cointreau 

4.  Pour into prepared glasses.