Name: Jamaica & Lime Margarita
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 key limes (one for prepping the rim, the other for garnish); demerara sugar or coarse salt (for rimming the glass); 3 oz of Jamaica leaves; 8 oz of boiling water; pinch of ground cardamom (optional); 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice; 1 oz simple syrup (or more to taste); 2 oz good quality tequila; ice

Have you noticed the way I’m clutching this cocktail; it’s as if my life depends on it, no? Well, I’m just exiting month three of this deployment, so yeah. Jamaica & Lime Margaritas sound clutch right about now. No, friend! I’m not developing a drinking habit. I’m developing an “I hate single-parenting” habit. My children are the precious beads of sweat from the brow of God Himself. They are the most angelic cherubs ever to flitter amongst us mortals…but they’re driving me crazy!!!

Today, I had to scold my daughter because she clothes-lined her brother. When he attempted to scream, I mean, trachea being jacked up and all that, she yelled, “I was just playing with him!!” MMA is playing, y’all. I had no clue. I talked to her about keeping her hands to herself, unless she wanted me to put my hands on her and show her what it felt like. She shook her head vigorously and began to wail. I stood there with my hand over a blood orange that I was juicing and stared at her.

“Why are you crying?”
“Because I hate math!”
<<What. In. THEEEEE. Hell!?!?!>>
“WHO’S TALKING ABOUT MATH!?!?”
“I hate math because (brother) is always singing while he does his math and I can’t focus on mine. It takes me forever because I can’t pay attention and he finishes his super fast! Then when I tell him to stop, he looks at me stupid!”
“Don’t say stupid, it’s a bad word.”
“He looks at me and makes me want to punch him in the throat.”
“Just…that’s not much better…just say stupid.”
“He’s so annoying!!!”

Do ya see why I need to have a margarita in my hands?!?! Do ya?!?! I told her to calm down, relax and the next time her brother starts to annoy her with his singing to let me know so I can tell him to quiet down. I also reminded her that her Dad and I drove an hour to the nearest Ikea just to get her a nice, pretty SCHOOL DESK to use at times like these. Maybe she could give that a try?! She gave me a pathetic snivel…

…and I did this.

Now, I’m sharing because you may need this too. This recipe is idea number two in a Cinco de Mayo recipe series. Check out recipe idea number one here. Jamaica, or hibiscus flower tea, is an agua fresca that I became addicted to while we were living in El Paso. Every Mexican restaurant serves their own aguas fresca, and the way to my heart and big, ol’, fat tip is to have jamaica that is on point. Since I loved it so much, I had to come up with my own recipe for the tea. Normally, I brew a jug, add some simple syrup (water and sugar boiled together) and flavor it with a dash of cardamom. This day called for it to have little more stank on it.

Since I usually make this cocktail to serve at my soirees, I’ve developed a large batch method with uses an entire pound of jamaica tea. This recipe is scaled down so you don’t feel like a lush. You can find, jamaica leaves in most Hispanic markets. Here, locally, we can get it at good ol’ HEB. You can also purchase it online.

Most of us have had our run-ins with tequila. Jose Cuervo and I were really tight throughout college. He started something between me and my toilet one day, and I haven’t been the same since. Now, I lean more towards Patrón, but even that I use more for my tequila-lime chicken wings than to soothe my sorrows. Nevertheless, choose a tequila that doesn’t have a rank, “we’re going to get locked up,” aftertaste to it.

Pin this for those days when your kids are making you question your sanity. And pray for me y’all! This deployment may be the end of me!

Jamaica & Lime Margarita

Agua fresca gets a little help from Patrón in this adult version of the cool, Mexican drink.

Course Libations

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Author Marta Rivera

Ingredients

2 key limes one for prepping the rim, the other for garnish
demerara sugar or coarse salt for rimming the glass
3 oz of Jamaica leaves
8 oz of boiling water
pinch of ground cardamom optional
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz simple syrup or more to taste
2 oz good quality tequila
ice

Instructions

Cut one key lime in half and rub it along the rim of your cocktail glass to moisten it. Dip the rim of the glass into either the sugar or the salt (or half-and-half). Set aside to dry. Slice the other lime in half to use as garnish.
Into a large, heatsafe bowl, pour the leaves. Cover the leaves with the boiling water, add the cardamom, stir and allow to steep for ten minutes. Jamaica stains, so be careful not to splash it on porous surfaces or onto your clothes.
Strain the tea into a measuring cup or other pouring vessel. Allow to cool completely.
Into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the lime juice.
Add the simple syrup to taste. Jamaica is slightly tart (which I like) so you may want to use a little more if it suits you.
Add the jamaica tea...
...followed by the tequila.
Cap the cocktail shaker and shake well to combine.
Pour the margarita into the ice-filled cocktail glass and enjoy responsibly!
¡Salud!