Taste of Cordova: Salmonberry Margaritas

So many delicious cocktails are thrown away on bar napkins, lost in deep pockets, spoken aloud and never written down, or worst forgotten after the creation of the drink. However when it comes to Margaritas there is a consistent combination of tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur,  but who doesn’t like to play around a bit? Now you’re asking, how do we have fun with it? Let’s add an Alaskan twist, salmonberry! This raspberry-like fruit that is found on the ever-growing prickly bushes that line roadways and tree lines, have a beautifully combined sweet yet tart flavor that pairs well with the classic Margarita.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c water

4 cups of salmonberries

1/4 c sugar

2 oz of your favorite tequila

1 oz lime juice

1/2 orange liqueur

4 healthy cups of salmonberries

Directions:

Boil water and salmonberries for 5-10 minutes on high while using a potato masher, breaking the berries up.

Strain juice with a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. You should have about 3 cups of juice.

Put back in sauce pan and add 1/4 cup of sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.

Leave in fridge until cooled.

Once chilled fill a cocktail shaker with ice.

Add two ounces of berry juice, 2 ounces of your favorite tequila, 1 oz of a lime juice, and 1/2 ounce of your favorite orange liqueur

Cover and shake until mixed and chilled, about 30 seconds. (In general, the drink is ready by the time the shaker mists up.) Place Lime-salt-sugar on a plate. Press the rim of your glass into the mixture to rim the edge. Strain margarita into the glass.

Lime-salt-sugar:

Zest of one lime and a couple squirts of juice

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

Blend together lime, salt and sugar in a small blender or mini food chopper.