Labor Day Special: Tequila Ginger-Ale Cocktail Recipe

I don’t usually traffic in cocktail recipes, but as summer
winds down, I have to share one that I fell head over heels for back in
July. I wish I could take credit for it, but like all the sweet things in my
life, it was initiated by Santa Maria.

In recent years, she’s made a tradition of whipping up
homemade ginger ale for our nieces and nephews during our annual treks to the
Jersey shore. This year, I brought a nice bottle of tequila on that trip, to make
margaritas, and I did  but they were pretty terrible. Perhaps it was because all I could find was cut-rate Triple Sec at the local supermarket, or perhaps it was because
I had never made them before. Either way, there was no way I was going to try
and make them more than once. 

So the night Santa Maria poured the homemade ginger ale
for the little kids, I dressed mine up with a nice shot of tequila. Instantly, I had a cocktail worthy of the swankiest, hippest, newest, club around.
As you roll into Labor Day, think about making one for yourself. Leave out the
tequila, and you have a great drink for the kids. My nine-year old nephew from
Western PA called the ginger ale, “stinkin' good.” I think you’ll agree, especially if you goose yours up with a good tequila.

Tequila Ginger-Ale Surprise

You'll need:

• Sugar
• Limes
• Fresh ginger
• Seltzer
• Tequila (optional)

Start with a simple syrup. Take 1 cup raw organic sugar and dissolve it one cup of water. Do this by heating the water (and boiling if necessary) until the sugar is suspended in the liquid. You'll have more simple syrup than you need, and the extra can be stored in the refrigerator.

To make a big batch, for say eight people, juice 5 limes and chop (don't grate; this is important) about 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger. 

In a glasses with ice, mix each drink as follows:

2-3 tablespoons of simple syrup

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

Top with seltzer to taste. Add a shot of tequila, and you have a proper cocktail. The chopped ginger is fun to chew on, too. Kid love it (without the alcohol, of course). Making the drinks this way allows you to customize the flavor for each glass. Some may like it little sweeter, so add more simple syrup. Others may liken it a little stronger, so add more tequila. You get the idea. Have fun.