SUBLIME STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS

Tongue-tingling tangy, taste-bud-dancing strawberriness and that familiar Tequila whoopaaah, over oodles of ice.  Oh, sí, sí, por favor! 

It was the twelfth of June, another sunny, cloudy, valley day
                               I was in choppin' berries, to make Margaritas my way.....

And chop, chop, I did.  There's something so ambrosial about local fresh strawberries, no matter where you are.  So, of course, it was way too fun, and almost kind of exciting to work on 'perfecting' my version of the best Fresh Strawberry Margarita. 

Once the fresh strawberries were roughly chopped I buzzed them to smithereens with my immersion blender, then plopped them onto a fine mesh sieve.  Next armed with a big spoon I pushed and smushed the buzzed berries, through the sieve, to get all of the luscious, ruby-red, juice out. 

Oh mama, that's quite the juice.  My goodness. 

Next came freshly squeezed lime juice, and some fine Tequila and Cointreau.  Stir, stir, stir.  I had planned on waiting to let the Margs chill in the fridge for a bit, but after tasting a spoonful, wham bam out came a glass, quickly rimmed with lime juice and Hawaiian salt, filled to the brim with ice, and in with the rosy red potion. 

Sip....mmm.....sip, sip......mmm.  Yup, a damn fine Margarita, if I do say so myself. 

These particular Margaritas are best with oodles of ice, it just compliments the berriness, perfectly.  And even if you are not so inclined, do try Sublime Strawberry Margaritas with a salted rim.  Arriba!  Salud!

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Adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen food blog,
for The Last Wonton.  Thanks, Christin.
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SUBLIME STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS (Makes a generous 3 cups ~ 4 cocktails)

1 pound fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled and chopped (just short of 3 cups)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/4 cups Tequila
1/2 cup Cointreau
**Lots of ice, fresh lime, sea salt**

Put strawberries in bowl and buzz, buzz, with immersion blender until completely juicy.  Or, of course, throw into the blender, and blend until smooth.  Pour onto a fine mesh sieve, using a spoon to push all the juices through.  You want at least 1 cup of juice. 

Place all ingredients in a jug and whisk away, until all happy, happy.   Run a lime wedge around glass rims.  Pour sea salt onto a saucer, and dip the glass rims into it.  Fill glasses with ice and Sublime Strawberry Margarita mixture. Sip, sip.....Mmmm.....