Blueberry Ginger Margarita

When I woke up this morning, I was thankful. Thankful for life, for the best family ever, for my new friends that have helped maintain my sanity during some recent stressful times; thankful that I have work and thankful for health.

I was even thankful for this blog. Because after all, it’s my bread and butter and so I wake up every day thinking about it. Do you?

Admittedly, I’m going through some emotional and spiritual transitions which is causing a dramatic drop in inspiration and motivation to cook, write, let alone photograph — my least favorite part of blogging. Not only is this transition halting and suppressing my creativity, but it’s also affecting my productivity.

I’m just keeping it real. Retail therapy would help, but then I’d have buyers’ remorse. I think.

So, during a brief exchange with Carrie, a dear Cuban colleague living in Tennessee (insert: ¿que hace una cubana en Tennesse?!), I confided that I’m losing my mojo. Told her I had nothing to say this morning (though my calendar is packed thru Nov.). She said one word: “archives.” What! Pull a post from my archives? Yes, I’ve done that before, but even that was a daunting task. How the hell was I going to tweak an old post that probably has shotty pictures (I’m thinking it’d be a post from 2008 when I first starting blogging) and make it sound remotely fun, sexy and yummy?

See….I’m so digressing. Let’s get to the point of this post.

After that instant convo, I thought about the things that I could do right now to help ease the cause of transition [anxiety].

Make a drink for starters. It’s easy enough. I have a ridiculous resto-style bar, enough to host a party of 100; With that amount, surely there was something I could stir up.

But I needed a spark of ‘go!’

What instantly came to mind was a recent stroll in my neighborhood where I fell in love with the idle cargo trains I came upon. I stood on the tattered bridge and took several pictures of it. And then I was attracted by some lovely flowers in a swanky part of Atlanta and again, stood still and took some pictures of all the varieties. The buds and leaves were so bright and colorful–at the time, the first signs of Spring.

They ignited happy.

 TRAINS AND FLOWERS

Oh, so yes, a cocktail made sense while I thought about these two visuals. It occurred to me that a margarita infusing flavors reminiscent of the colors the train and the flowers brought forth, perhaps would motivate me.

My conversation with Carrie took place at about 9:15 this morning. I found SOME firecracker in her single word and went to work.

This is where it all makes sense.

Ideally, I’d be standing at a vintage-designed train station right now — no where in particular, though preferably in Europe or Latin America, with hand-picked flowers in one hand. I’d board the train and take a long ass ride somewhere. On that train, I’d have a sexy drink to sip on while I stare outside at the countryside we’d be flying past (I’m specifically thinking of a Euro train ride I took from Rome to Sorrento where the green fields were nothing but a beautiful blur) and read a good book.

And so, the 2-week loss of mojo is starting to come back. Only starting.

I took quick inventory of ingredients that would yield a delicious libation and be completely appropriate for a train ride whose purpose is to settle some thoughts…

A margarita, my least favorite of drinks, was the answer!

Truthfully, it was sum of ingredients that made this margarita an appealing one. I took my limes, sugar, my ginger, some tequila, Domaine de Canton (hottest thing on my bar for sure) and  muddled some fresh blueberries.

Yes, that was it.

I got giddy making some lime-infused sugar for the rim of the glass. A winner for sure.

I made my lovely and really pretty cocktail, sipped it and put in the freezer. Someone else can have at it.

After all, I see no train rides in the near future.

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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Enjoy

BLUEBERRY GINGER MARGARITA

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries, muddled
• 2 oz. Blue Tequila
• 1.5 oz Domain de Canton
• 1 3/4 oz. simple syrup
• 1/4 oz. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled
• zest from half lime
• 2 thin slices of lime, snipped at bottom
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ice

Method:

Add sugar to small bowl and zest lime into it. Stir and combine well. Set aside. Combine blueberries, tequila, Domain du Canton, simple syrup, lime juice and ice into martini shaker. Zest ginger into mixture. Shake well. Rub lime slice on rim of the tequila glass and dip glass into lime sugar. Pour margarita mixture into chilled glass. Garnish with extra lime slice (cover in additional lime sugar if desired).

Serves 1.