San Francisco is well known for being heavily influenced by Mexican culture. Today is National Margarita Day and I’m here to give you some ideas on how to celebrate this tequila-fueled day in a family friendly way!
Homemade “Margarita” Playdough
One of the main ingredients in both homemade playdough and margaritas is salt. Take this recipe up a notch by adding fresh lime zest for a citrusy playdough that will invigorate your kiddo’s senses, and remind you of being on a beach with a drink in hand!
1 cup of flour
1 cup of water
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Zest of one lime
Food coloring
In a saucepan, mix together flour, cream of tartar, and salt. Add water and vegetable oil. Turn the burner on medium-low and stir. Keep stirring until it gets a little solid (about 2 minutes on most stoves), and then add your lime zest and green food coloring until desired brightness. Keep stirring – you’ll know when you hit playdough consistency! Remove it from the pan and turn it out onto some waxed paper or a plate to cool.
Mission Burritos
Take your little one on a trip through the vibrant Mission District! Check out beautifully hand painted wall art, split a Mexican hot chocolate, and grab an authentic Mexican lunch. While La Taqueria has the “North America’s Best Burrito” claim to fame, there are many Mission staples where you can get a seriously delicious (and kid approved) meal. My favorite is the El Farolito burrito, packed as full as that tortilla can handle! Take your food to go and set up a blanket at Mission Delores Park to eat, and then let your kiddo burn off some energy at Helen Diller park.
Pop Some Bubbles
Get your mind out of the boozy gutter! I’m talking about grabbing a bottle of Philosophy’s ‘Senorita Margarita’ bubble bath, and getting ready for a citrusy, salty, sudsy soak in the tub.
123 Tequila!
You didn’t think I was going to leave you without a margarita recipe, did you? I took several mixology courses a few years ago, and have been slinging drinks and teaching my own mixology classes ever since. Here is one of my favorite recipes for a very traditional margarita. Time to finish off your busy day by raising a glass to this iconic, refreshing and delicious drink. Cheers!
1 ½ oz Silver Tequila of your choice
¾ oz Cointreau
2 ½ oz fresh sour**
1 hand-pressed lime-half
Rimming salt
Use your lime-half to coat the rim of your glass in lime juice, and dip it into your rimming salt until you get a nice, even coating on the rim of your glass. Add your tequila, Cointreau, and sour into a stainless steel shaker. Fill with ice, pop the cap on, and shake vigorously until the shaker is frosty. Use a strainer to strain your margarita into your glass, and top with some additional ice cubes from the shaker. Give that lime-half one good squeeze over the glass and drop the whole thing in as a garnish. Sip and enjoy!
**I make my fresh sour using equal parts freshly squeezed lemon juice, freshly squeezed lime juice, water, and sugar. These can be done in any proportion as long as they are equal. I usually make a batch of ½ cup of each and store the sour mix in the fridge for up to a week. Bring all of the ingredients to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat. The lemon and sugar in this sour mix help mellow out the tartness of the lime and will give you an incredibly refreshing flavor.
