Liven Up Your Cinco de Mayo With Sauza 901 Tequila!

What’s Cinco de Mayo without its main ingredient, tequila!? This holiday, invite your taste buds to the fiesta by celebrating with Sauza® 901® Tequila! Margaritas are not the only way to get the party started – surprise your guests by serving these unique Mexican-inspired cocktails.

Sauza 901 is a super premium tequila created by Justin Timberlake and Sauza Tequila, one of the world’s top premium tequila brands. Perfect for any occasion from a celebratory night out to a low key night with friends, Sauza 901 is a triple distilled, 100% agave tequila offering a smooth taste crafted using only the finest Blue Weber agave. 

All recipes were created by Sauza® 901® mixologist, Eddy Buckingham.

El Bombin:

·         2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila

·         1 part fresh grapefruit juice

·         ½ part honey syrup

·         Orange wheel for garnish 

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice.  Shake well for 10 seconds.  Serve in a martini glass.  Garnish with orange wheel.

Zarza:

·         2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila

·         1 part simple syrup

·         1 part fresh lemon juice

·         Blackberries

·         Float: Blackberry liqueur 

Preparation: Combine all ingredients, excluding blackberry liqueur.  Shake well.  Strain and serve over crushed ice in a rocks glass.  Float blackberry liqueur on top.  Garnish with fresh blackberries.

Raise the Bar this Cinco de Mayo with Entertaining Tips & Food Pairings from Skinnygirl

“Raise the bar” at your Cinco de Mayo party with the help of Skinnygirl® Cocktails! Check out our entertaining and pairing tips below to make your fiesta a hit.

No Cinco de Mayo get-together is complete without a delicious margarita, and Skinnygirl® Cocktails has margarita offerings that will please every taste bud. Your guests can enjoy the new great taste of Skinnygirl® Margarita, which is lightly sweetened with agave nectar and tequila for a light and refreshing flavor.

For a twist on the traditional margarita, we have the new Skinnygirl® Spicy Lime Margarita, a balance of cool lime, spicy chili and tequila; Skinnygirl® Sweet ‘n Tart Grapefruit Margarita, a blend of tangy citrus with notes of lime and grapefruit; Skinnygirl® White Peach Margarita, which offers flavors of sweet and juicy peach with tropical tones and lime and Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita, featuring a hint of sweetness with flavors of sweet lime, orange and tequila.

Entertaining Tips

• Set up a customized guacamole station. Guests can choose from a selection of mix-ins such as jalapenos, fresh herbs, and pineapple.
• Incorporate pops of color for a sophisticated décor look. Line your porch railing or tabletop with cacti in terra cotta pots and lanterns with colored candles for an authentic Mexican feel. 
• Surprise guests with a dance instructor for an impromptu salsa lesson.  
• For a chic and delicious dessert, serve a display of brightly hued macaroons that match your décor. 

Food Pairings 

• Pair Skinnygirl® Margarita with Mock-A-Mole Party Dip
• Why it works: The light, refreshing flavors of Skinnygirl® Margarita pair nicely with the spicy and flavorful notes of the Mock-A-Mole Party Dip. 
• Pair Skinnygirl® Spicy Lime Margarita with Zucchini Quesadilla
• Why it works: The mild veggies in the Zucchini Quesadilla balance out the spicy undertones and subtle heat of Skinnygirl® Spicy Lime Margarita.
• Pair Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita with Spicy Chipotle Dip
• Why it works: The sweet notes of Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita tone down the spicy kick in the dip.

Cheers to Cinco de Mayo with Sauza® Tequila

Arriba! Put up that piñata and make this Cinco de Mayo a true celebration! 

Whether you’re hosting your own fiesta or attending one, Sauza® Tequila is here to help with cocktail and guacamole pairings to make your celebration a success! 

And skip the store-bought stuff- these guac recipes from the experts at Dos Caminos are easy enough to whip up at home, even with a cocktail in hand!

Start with Chef Ivy Stark’s traditional guacamole and give it a fun twist with variations like Chipotle-Goat Cheese Guacamole or Artichoke Guacamole with Toasted Pine Nuts.

Turn up the music, gather your friends and family, and whip up these delicious pairings below - 

• Pairing 1: The sweet and fruity flavors of the Mexican Victor-ita provide the perfect complementto the smoky heat of the Chipotle-Goat Cheese Guacamole.
• Pairing 2: Turn your cocktail up a notch with the Spicy Señorita. With a kick of heat, it pairs wellwith the mild flavors of the Artichoke Guacamole with Toasted Pine Nuts.

Pairing 1

Mexican Victor-ita 

• 1 ½ parts Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila 
• ½ part DeKuyper® Triple Sec
• 4 parts cranberry juice 
• 2 parts orange juice 
• 2 oranges 
• ½ cup cranberries, frozen (optional)
• 2 tbsp. sugar

Preparation: First make your garnishes. Freeze ½ cup of cranberries. Using a channel knife cut a long spiral from on orange (see if you can make it all the way in one try!) and cut into 6 inch pieces. Twist the peels around your bar spoon and reserve for garnish.

Zest the other orange with a spice grater to remove just the peel and none of the pith and combine with sugar.

Cut the zested orange into wedges. Rub a wedge of orange around half the rim of your glasses. Roll the glasses through the sugared orange zest.

In a shaker, combine the rest of the sugar and orange zest mixture with the cranberry juice, orange juice, Sauza® Blue Silver, orange liqueur, and the juice from the orange. Twist the orange peel over the drink and place on the prepared glass. Top with frozen cranberries and serve your cocktail! Salud!

Chipotle-Goat Cheese Guacamole

• 2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 tsp. finely chopped white onion
• 2 tsp. minced jalapeño or Serrano chilies (Optional: remove seeds and membranes)
• ½ tsp. teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2  large ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
• 1 small plum tomato, cored, seeded, and finely chopped 
• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice 

• 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
• 2 tbsp. chopped canned chipotle chilies

Preparation: 

1. In a medium size bowl, use the back of a spoon to mash 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion, 1 teaspoon of minced chile, and ½ teaspoon salt together against the bottom of the bowl.
2. Add the avocados and gently mash them with a fork until chunky-smooth. 
3. Add 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped canned chipotle chilles.
4. Fold the remaining cilantro, onion, and chile into the mixture. 
5. Stir in tomatoes and lime juice, taste to adjust the seasonings.
6. Serve with warm corn tortilla chips.  

**Makes 4 Servings 

Pairing 2

Spicy Señorita 

• 1 part Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila
• 2 parts beer
• 1 part frozen limeade concentrate
• 1 part water
• A dash of hot sauce
• Sugar (for garnish)
• Salt (for garnish)
• Red pepper (for garnish)
• Chili pepper (for garnish) 

Preparation: In a glass, combine all ingredients. Chill and serve in glasses rimmed with sugar, salt and red pepper. Garnish with a chili. Enjoy!

Artichoke Guacamole with Toasted Pine Nuts

• 2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 tsp. finely chopped white onion
• 2 tsp. minced jalapeño or Serrano chilies (Optional: remove seeds and membranes)
• ½ tsp. teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2  large ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
• 1 small plum tomato, cored, seeded, and finely chopped 
• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice 

• 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Preparation: 

1. In a medium size bowl, use the back of a spoon to mash 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion, 1 teaspoon of minced chile, and ½ teaspoon salt together against the bottom of the bowl.
2. Add the avocados and gently mash them with a fork until chunky-smooth. 
3. Add 1 cup of marinated artichoke hearts chopped with ¼ cup of toasted pine nuts and stir.
4. Fold the remaining cilantro, onion, and chile into the mixture. 
5. Stir in tomatoes and lime juice, taste to adjust the seasonings.
6. Serve with warm corn tortilla chips.  

**Makes 4 Servings

EXCLUSIVE: Bethenny Frankel's First Annual Cinco De Mayo Fiesta

Bethenny Frankel threw an AMAZING #SkinnygirlCincoDeMayo Party at La Cenita in the Meatpacking District in NYC this afternoon, and I was lucky enough to be invited! 

The Skinnygirl Cocktails were flowing and the guests were so much fun; I got to bring my best friend and meet up with some of my Twumpkins, while also running into some fantastically friendly celebrities. And, of course, The Original Skinnygirl herself, Bethenny, was there to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. 

This fiesta celebrated the addition of two new Skinnygirl Margarita offerings -- the Sparkling Margarita and the Sweet'arita -- and I was mixing the two of them together all afternoon. 

During her welcome speech, Bethenny gave me a huge shout-out as "Mike, Oh Hell Yes!, my biggest fan" and credited me with coming up with the half-&-half combo of the new Skinnygirl Sweet'arita and Sparkling Margarita. B even named it the "Sparkly Sweet," and you should definitely try it ASAP 

:)

I had SUCH a fun day and am so grateful to Bethenny for always being so amazing and welcoming.
Thank you so much Bethenny and Skinnygirl Cocktails for such a memorable celebration!

How cute is this Georgetown Cupcake?!

Me with: Terence Noonan, producer of 'bethenny' talk show; Luis D Ortiz, 'Million Dollar Listing' real estate agent; Miss Lawrence Washington & Bevy Smith, 'Fashion Queens' hosts; and Michelle Buteau, comedienne, frequent 'bethenny' panel guest, & 'Enlisted' star.

Follow my new best friend Lauren @TheBabySoother and stay tuned for more from this super-smart businesslady!

Follow all my Twumpkins: @Acute_Tweetment & @momkim5 who were there in spirit, @Jodie_Atkinson, @jenn_regan, & @PattyAnn615, and my new friends @GiGiBaby_Swanky, @TheBabySoother, & @carioki!

Follow me on Twitter @OhHellYes!

Skinnygirl Cocktails Launches Two New Products to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

It’s time for a fiesta! In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Skinnygirl® Cocktails is pleased to announce the addition of two NEW ready-to-serve products – Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita and Skinnygirl® Sparkling Margarita - that are a fun twist on the classic margarita.

Looking to sweeten the deal this Cinco de Mayo? New Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita is sweeter than the original, but with the same low calories. Or you can break out the bubbly – bubbly margarita that is - and take your party to the next level with new Skinnygirl® Sparkling Margarita.

Feeling adventurous enough to mix up your own cocktails? Serve the Margarita de Celebracion or Mexican Margarita cocktails as your fiesta’s leading Latin ladies.

Margarita de Celebracion

·         5 parts Skinnygirl® Margarita

·         Sliced jalapenos, muddled

·         Lime wedge for garnish

·         Salt for rim

Preparation: Salt the rim of margarita glass. Pour Skinnygirl® Margarita over ice and add muddled jalapenos . Garnish with lime wedge and enjoy!

Mexican Margarita

·         5 parts Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita

·         Handful of frozen grapes

·         Sugar or Splenda for rim

·         Lime garnish (optional)

Preparation: Coat the rim of a margarita glass with sugar. Pour Skinnygirl® Sweet’arita over frozen grapes and garnish with a lime (optional). Salud!

Lastly, here's a new margarita creation I just came up with -- a coconut margarita! 

Just mix some new Skinnygirl Sweet'arita with delicious Nirvana Real Coconut Water and a quick pour of coconut milk for some extra coconutty flavor. Rim your cocktail glass with shredded coconut, and you have another sweet way to enjoy your Skinnygirl Margarita this Cinco De Mayo!

Sauza Offers 4 Fun Tequila Tips for Cinco de Mayo

As you know, Cinco de Mayo is a holiday synonymously known for delicious foods and equally tasty cocktails.  As you busily finish chopping up the cilantro and prepping your favorite chiles, you can’t forget about the star of the holiday – tequila!

Below are four fun ways you can use tequila this Cinco De Mayo!

Tip #1: It’s all in the presentation – Wow your friends with a fabulous celebration by creating a fun watermelon punch bowl to hold your delicious margarita.  To begin, start with a seedless watermelon. Using a sharp knife, carefully trim the bottom to make it a flat surface. Next, cut off the top (about ¼ of the watermelon) and with a melon baller hollow out the flesh. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to scrape the inside walls of the watermelon clean. Fill with your favorite margarita recipe and enjoy!

Tip #2: The New Frozen Margarita – Create a fun spin on the frozen margarita by making delicious and refreshing popsicles – perfect for a post-dinner treat or an afternoon refresher.

SAUZA-RITA POPSICLE

Ingredients

·         2 parts Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila

·         2 parts DeKuyper® 03 Premium Orange Liqueur

·         8 parts fresh squeezed lime juice (8-12 small limes, usually)

·         4 parts sugar

·         8 parts water

·         12 3-oz disposable paper cups

·         12 wooden popsicle sticks or spoons

Directions: Heat water and sugar in a small sauce pan until completely dissolved and the water is clear. Let cool. Pour into a pitcher with lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur. Pour 5 tbsp of margarita into each cup. Place cups into a baking dish and put the dish in the freezer. After about 2 hours, start checking the popsicles. Once they're frozen enough to support the wooden stick, insert a stick into each popsicle, pushing ¾ of the way into the popsicle. Let freeze several more hours or until completely frozen (or freeze overnight). To serve, peel the paper cup away from the popsicle, starting at the seam of the cup, and carefully remove the bottom.

Makes 12 popsicles.

Tip #3: Cocktails – Forget what you know about typical margaritas – they don’t always need to have Triple sec.  For a new spin on the classic margarita, below are two fun recipes to recreate:

Flirty Fiesta Margarita

·         1 part Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila

·         ½ part DeKuyper® 03 Premium Orange Liqueur

·         3 parts cran-raspberry juice

·         1½ parts lemon-lime soda

·         1 part sanding salt

·         1 lime wedge (for garnish)

Preparation: Run a lime wedge around half the lip of a glass and dip in sanding sugar to rim. Combine all ingredients in a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Salsa at Sunset

·         1 part Sauza® Blue Reposado 100% Agave Tequila

·         1 part orange juice

·         1 dash grenadine

·         Lemon wedge (for garnish)

Preparation: In a glass filled with ice stir together orange juice and tequila. Pour the dash of grenadine down the side so that it settles to the bottom of the glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Tip #4:   Tequila BBQ: Sauza® can be used as a flavorful marinade perfect for tacos or salad. Spice things up!