I love margaritas! I'm picky about them though and not just any garden variety will do! Premade mixes need not apply, especially when a real margarita is so easy to make. I used to always drink them frozen but I've discovered that when they are enjoyed on the rocks the flavors shine through. That's important when you're enjoying a delicious tequila. A wonderful mexican restaurant, "Lopez" in Cleveland Heights where I live serves many wonderful fresh fruit margaritas. I just discovered their fresh blueberry margarita. It is divine!

This particular restaurant has an enormous selection of top shelf tequilas. My current favorite is the Patron Anejo, a lovely golden and smoky elixir that mixes beautifully with the tartness of the fresh blueberries and salt. The fresh blueberry juice in this cocktail makes the drink lovely and the addition of the curacao, chambord and cointreau keeps it light and interesting.

1/2 cup fresh blueberry juice (made by putting fresh blueberries in the blender with a touch of spring water and then strained)
1 oz tequila (Try the Patron! Wonderful!)
1/2 oz blue curacao
1/2 oz cointreau
1/2 oz chambord
1 teaspoon of fresh meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon of fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon of raw sugar

To begin!

Take 1 cup of fresh blueberries and put them in the blender with a bit of spring water. Whir on high and then strain, putting the resulting liquid aside.

Mix the lemon juice, lime juice and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Put aside!

In a pitcher mix the blueberry juice, Blue Curacao, Cointreau and Chambord. Add the lemon , lime and sugar mixture. Stir gently. Take the glass that you are going to serve the margarita in and rim it with lime juice and margarita salt. This is done easily by taking a wedge of lime, and running the juicy part around the rim and then tipping the glass upside down into the salt which you have put into a saucer.

Put cracked ice into the glass and pour in the margarita , stir once gently. Serve this with fresh (read homemade!) guacomole, chips and salsa. Drinking one of these is a delicious way to celebrate all of the wonderful yet fleeting tastes of summer! I hope that you'll agree!