meyer lemon margarita + floating pansies

mayer-lemon-margaritas

Note: this post is a continuation of my food photos for the Marx Foods Edible Flowers Food Photography Contest. Voting will start tomorrow, 5/5/15, and be conducted by “liking” my photo posted on Marx Food’s Instagram account. Check back tomorrow for a direct link and more details! Thanks for your vote!

At our Frontera Grill lunch in Chicago last month, the hubby and I shared a Meyer lemon margarita, after which we indulged in a hefty Mexican lunch. I’ve used Meyer lemons before in desserts, preferring their floral, milder tartness to regular lemons, but I’d never had one in a margarita. It was a brilliant turn that smoothed the rough edges of the tequila and made the margarita easier — maybe too easy — to imbibe.

Days later, I was still craving that margarita, so I bought some Meyer lemons of my own to try my hand at it. Using Meyer lemons instead of limes is as simple as making a straightforward substitution. You might need an extra Meyer lemon or two, but other than that, it’s easy peasy.

meyer lemon margarita

After I mixed my margaritas (over rocks, with salt-rimmed double-old fashioned glasses), I placed a few of Marx Food’s pansies on top for decoration. The wide, flat petals are great for floating, and they added a nice, spring touch.

meyer lemon margarita

As for the substitution of Meyer lemons, you’ll have to try it and tell me how it worked for you. Personally, I think I prefer my margaritas this way. The lemons are less tart than limes, which makes the overall drink a little bit sweeter. We didn’t use fancy tequila like the Patron we had in ours at Frontera Grill (which, if you’ve ever had it, is a very smooth, easy drinking tequila that’s good on its own). Instead, we had trusty (read: cheap) Montezuma gold, which feels a little bit like hot trouble moving down your esophagus when consumed on its own (note: I do not recommend trying this at home unless you are surrounded by people who love you, soft pillows and a relatively inaccessible savings account that requires a co-signer). The Meyer lemon masked the harshness of the Montezuma nicely, so much so that it felt like we were drinking tangy lemonade. Of course, inside our glasses of “tangy lemonade” was a PAR-TAY.

meyer lemon margarita + floating pansies

Time5

CourseDrinks

CuisineAmerican, Mexican

Servings2

Ingredients

3 ounces 2 shots freshly-squeezed Meyer lemon juice, plus wedges for garnish
3 ounces ounces triple sec
3 ounces tequila (questionable quality is okay)
kosher salt
edible pansies (optional)

Instructions

Pour approximately 1/4 cup salt into a small saucer. Run a lemon wedge over the rims of two glasses (margarita or double old-fashioned), then invert glass and dip rim of each glass into the salt. Add a few cubes of ice to each glass and set aside.
Fill a shaker with crushed ice. Pour lemon juice, tequila and triple sec into shaker and cover. Shake vigorously.
Pour drinks into each glass. Top with lemon wedges and edible flowers, if using. Serve immediately.

Print Recipe

For more ideas on how to mix up your margaritas, check out these posts:

Strawberry Beer Margarita by Life Food & Beer

Pineapple Serrano Margarita Popsicles by Real Food by Dad

Chili Lime Mango Margaritas by Minimalist Baker

Fizzy Grapefruit Margaritas by Well Plated

Pomegranate Margarita by The Little Epicurean