Tequila Mockingbird: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margarita

Happy Margarita Day! I learned what a momentous day today was while I sat at my desk at work, so I’m happy to report I’m now sitting in my apartment with a margarita in hand. Well, on the table as I type this. Anyway, Margarita Day got me thinking about the novelty book, Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist. A friend gifted this to me during the holidays, and I have yet to make any of the beverages inside. What a great day to start!

While the recipe for a basic margarita is pretty well known, some of the cocktails written up by Tim Federle are foreign to me. So to keep my palate diverse and my blog a little more interesting, I’ll be rating the recipes inside, based on my personal preferences and slight knowledge of alcoholic beverages. I’ll also add a little shout out to the book and/or literary work that inspires each recipe. First up: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margarita.

“The original YA superstar,” Margaret Simon faced the challenges of adolescence, the first big hurtle of any girl’s life, in Judy Bloom’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. While that experience is not anywhere near as simple as making a basic margarita, doing the latter could be considered a turning point in a hostess’ or cocktail-lover’s (or anyone’s) life. Ditch the whimsical ingredient-adding, non-measuring habits of your early college years and shake up a margarita everyone can enjoy.

Author Tim Federle calls for tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and an optional lime wedge for garnish. He also suggests coarse salt, but this is not an ingredient I invest in unless I’m having a party; tonight my glass is clean. Although the use of a shaker is involved in his directions, I’m a little surprised he wants us to drink this from a solo cup. Stop buying plastic cups, people!

My rating system is based on wine glasses, because their shape is pretty and I like wine. One for a poor recipe, two for a good recipe, and three for a standout or no-fail recipe. Don’t worry, I’ll talk about the literary connections, since that is 80% of why I like this book. Share your favorites in the comments and tell me your favorite pairings. And without further ado…

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margarita

A basic margarita – you really can’t go wrong.