Blood Orange Margaritas

If you read my first post, which was a how-to on making cinnamon-infused tequila, consider this part two of that post.

The cinnamon-infused tequila I made is great on its own on the rocks, but it's even better when whipped up into a margarita. And not just any margarita, a blood orange margarita. There's a specialty grocery store a few blocks down from me, and is where I typically go whenever I need an obscure ingredient. Luckily the store had a nice selection of plump specimens to choose from.

A little background on this citrus fruit: The blood orange is a variety of orange distinguished by its crimson, blood-toned flesh. Blood oranges originated from China and today are prominent in Italy. They're also grown in the United States (Texas and California). It's said that the maroon-ish color is due to a mutation that happened during the 17th century. The fruit gets its hue from anthocyanin, a pigment found in fruits like strawberries and cherries. But don't let their sinister name be a turnoff, they're just as sweet as the other oranges at the market. Besides, it's what's on the inside that counts, right?

 See how nice and "bloody" the flesh is? Bram Stoker would be proud.

Here's the recipe:

Blood Orange Margaritas
1/2 cup blood orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons triple sec or cointreau, or more to taste
7 tablespoons cinnamon-infused tequila
Lime or blood orange slices for garnish

Mix. Fill two glasses with ice and divide between them. Garnish. Cheers!