When we were in Spain last year, we celebrated every afternoon at a cafe in a plaza with a drink and a tapa. Here we call it cocktail hour.
When we returned home in spring 2019, I attempted to duplicate this cultural tradition that takes place daily in Spain.
With our schedules and patterns of life in the US, the best I could do was once a week on Fridays. I upheld the tradition on my own, with my husband or a good friend.
Now the cocktail hour is back in a big way. {Silver lining?}
There may be wine or martinis or negronis, kombucha or sparkling water. There is an internet platform involved, background noises, and there may be good snacks.
No matter what’s in the glass, the essential element is the pause to gather. No matter the other occupations of the day.
Whenever have we all as a single country stopped every other “important” activity–from the workout to dinner to the deadline–to gather, look one another in the face with no agenda?
Major holidays, like Fourth of July or Thanksgiving, perhaps?
Like everyone else, I am ready to move on from this deeply tragic and seemingly timeless place.
But I hope that we never forget how much cocktail hour can be happy hour.
Mexican Sweater Cocktail
I write all of the posts, develop the recipes and take the photos on this blog. But I do not work alone. Heidi let me write about her in my recent hash browns post.
Now, she’s come out of hiding to develop this cocktail recipe: the Mexican Sweater based on a cocktail at Plonk in Missoula, Montana where her daughter is/was attending her first year of college.
I loved it right away because there’s grapefruit juice and tequila. Fresh, not too sweet is right up my alley. But not so fast!
The tequila is spiced with a jalapeno. So easy!
Take 1 sliced jalapeno and steep it in silver tequila for 1 hour. This was perfectly spicy for me however you could steep longer for more spice!
Plus, there’s apricot nectar and a dash of gochujaru, Korean chili flakes. It’s a wonderful balance of sweetness and spice. And a wonderful way to mix things up for your next happy hour.
What’s on your cocktail menu? Let me know in the comments below or tag a photo #lynnesforage on Instagram or Facebook.
Mexican Sweater Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 shot jalapeno-infused silver tequila or your favorite tequila
- 2 shots apricot nectar
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
- pinch Korean red chili flakes or cayenne or red chili flakes
- freshly squeezed lime juice to taste, plus a lime slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the tequila, apricot nectar, grapefruit juice and red pepper flakes. Shake well, strain into tumbler over ice. Add fresh lime juice to taste and a slice for garnish.
Notes
This post contains affiliate links for products that I wholeheartedly endorse from my personal use in my home kitchen–for which I may receive a small commission to support this blog.
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