Best Sip of the Week: Blood Orange Margarita

Treat yourself to this: A frozen blood orange margarita, courtesy of El Vez in Philadelphia

I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to drinks. Typically, I stick with the original mojito, vodka tonic, or piña colada, and am happy. Just give me a respectable version of the classic; no need for peach this or pomegranate that.

I hadn’t planned to stray from my usual (yes, you can say it, boring) habit when my daughter and I stopped for lunch this weekend in Philadelphia at a favorite place of hers, El Vez. I was ready to order my classic margarita – a frozen delight of pale green shimmering, slushy goodness in a salt-rimmed glass – but she had another idea. “I’m definitely having the blood orange margarita,” she exclaimed, “and you should get one, too.” “Why not?” I thought. And I’m sure glad I did.

Not only was the drink a beautiful burst of vibrant deep coral, it was perfectly frozen (as in, not melting the second it was served) and very refreshing. Made with the usual tequila and triple sec, this drink backed a ton of flavor from the blood orange purée.

We enjoyed our drinks, and they paired well with our De La Hoya Guacamole (a made-to-order mixture of avocado and roasted garlic, topped with chopped white onions and shredded basil), house-made corn tortilla chips, and taco sampler.

The De La Hoya Guacamole, sitting pretty on a banana leaf

If you find yourself in Philadelphia and have never been to El Vez, don’t hesitate to try the blood orange margarita.

Tagged: basil, blood orange, El Vez, frozen margarita, guacamole, onions, Philadelphia, roasted garlic