When I can find affordable, organic strawberries, I like to snatch them up. I found these at the farmers' market today. They were 3 baskets for 10 bucks! I immediately thought of using them in some margaritas. Is that bad?
Well, if I'm fixing to enjoy an adult beverage, and I've got some seasonal fresh fruit on hand, I might as well get the two of them together in yummy yin-yang concoction. High-sugar, artificially flavored mixers be gone! Check out how easy it is to make fresh fruit margaritas at home...
Organic strawberries, cleaned and halved. Here, 3 baskets made about 8 cups.
First, acquire some fresh, seasonal fruit. Try to get organic, especially if the fruit is in the top 12 or so of this list. Like I was saying, I picked up three baskets of organic strawberries from the local farmers' market today. When I got home I gave them a quick dip in a bowl of water mixed with a tablespoon of food-grade hydrogen peroxide (that's how I clean my soft-skinned fruit), and then I cut off the tops and halved them. Onto a parchment paper-lined (optional) cookie sheet they went, and then into the freezer for about one hour. They don't have to be frozen solid; in fact, I prefer them just barely icy, but it's up to you. In any case, they eliminate the need for ice cubes in your blender, which means no chance of watered down margaritas and you get to help with the drought by conserving water.
Since this post is about strawberries, I'll take a minute to amaze you with some quick nutrition facts about them. In just one cup of strawberries you'll get 12% DV of Fiber, 9% DV of Folate, 7% DV of Potassium, 149%(!!!) DV of Vitamin C, and 29% DV of Manganese. Again, all of that is in just one cup. But there are at least two, maybe even three cups of strawberries in a margarita! Holy cow, that is a lot of good stuff, and they taste amazing, too.
Alright, so when the strawberries are nice and icy, load them into your blender, and squeeze a lime or two (will depend on how many strawberries you use, and how much of a lime fan you are) in there, too. You can kick it up a notch here if you're feeling adventurous, and add some fresh mint - but only a little or it will make your margaritas a nasty color. Then, blend. When you think they're done, take a little taste and see if they need anything. If they are too tart, don't feel bad about adding a teaspoon or two of an organic sweetener. Just make sure it's organic. You don't want to go tainting your organic fruit with GMOs.
Once they are blended to your liking, pour in the desired amount of tequila. For a batch this size, I used about 5 ounces. Feel free to use a little more (I wouldn't go too crazy or the tequila will be overpowering), or, leave out the tequila altogether if you want. After all, you're making these in the privacy of your own home. No one is judging.
You can use this exact same method (slice/cube, freeze, add lime, blend) when making fresh watermelon margaritas. When I make watermelon margaritas, however, I like to add the tequila after I pour it into glasses, then give it a good old-fashioned stir, rather than add during the blending process. There are a few reasons for this. Most obviously, if you end up with more watermelon margaritas than you realized you could drink, now you have tequila in there and you can't take it back. With watermelon, you can just add tequila as needed. If this happens with strawberry margaritas, though, you have no choice but to drink them all up. But on the bright side, at least you'll have a good excuse when you start dancing on the table afterward.
The other reason I choose to add tequila after I pour into glasses is a little more obscure. I feel that the tequila seems stronger (read: more effective) when added afterward. It could all be in my head. Experiment both ways, if you like, then report back to me. With strawberries, the tequila does not incorporate easily, so you'll likely end up with a glass of blended strawberries with a tequila floater, if you try to add after blending. You don't have options like you do with watermelon.
Makes about 4 margaritas.
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