Lately, I have been in a freezy frenzy, making so many frozen drinks. While I haven’t been spending too much time beachside, I have been enjoying experimenting with different flavors and ingredients to create unique and refreshing beverages aka (mostly) boozy smoothies. And recently, I also acquired another new machine that had me squealing with excitement upon purchase and I can’t wait to share more about it with you soon. I hope you are (and will be) as excited about these drinks as I am.
As for this drink? It’s frozen raspberries blended into a hibiscus honey tea (brewed by me of course using dried hibiscus flowers and honey simple syrup), fresh squeezed lime juice, rose water, Lillet rouge, Angostura bitters, silver tequila, smoked salt, dried rose petals, honey with some more dried rose flowers, and a couple of lime wheels for the garnish (more for the photo than functionality and maybe for chewing the last bit of drink out of). I considered a mezcal tequila split but I was all out of mezcal. Despite the absence of the mezcal in this rendition, it’s just fine as it is. The white non-aged tequila offers a clean kick that allows the tartness of the berries to really shine, raising the question of whether there is any alcohol in this little concoction at all. I’ll let you be the judge.
Before we dive into the recipe, you may ask, “What is white tequila?” Allow me. It is aged for about 2 months in stainless steel barrels and comes from the agave plant. It offers a cleaner less robust than when it’s aged. All tequila is made in five states in Mexico. Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán and Tamaulipas. Because of laws, if tequila isn’t made in these states, it can’t be called tequila. Similarly to that of some wines. Now, what is Lillet Rouge? It’s a red aperitif originating from Bordeaux, slightly bitter in taste with notes of citrus peels and honey. Delicious! Delicious! Although I prefer the yellow Lillet and then the rose Lillet on their own, because you wanted to know, this one isn’t bad on its own either but is superb when mixed. Although they could be substituted here, lets don’t mess with a good thing..
My Tequila Rosearita
2 oz (and a splash) of white tequila
1 oz Lillet rogue
1 1/2 oz oz of honey syrup hibiscus tea blend (think Southern sweet tea style) add more or less for desired fluidity and perhaps sweetness
1 1/2 cups of frozen raspberries
1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
A few dashes but less than a tablespoon of rose water (make your own or purchase – recipe for making your own from Tatum’s Tiny Kitchen coming soon. Also an excellent skin toner, FYI).
Handful of crumbled dried edible rose petals for the glass
Two whole edible dried rose buds for the garnish
Smoked rock salt and some honey for the glass
Method
To make the honey syrup, combine a 3:1 ratio of honey to hot water and add a few dried hibiscus flowers. Stir until the honey is no longer thick. Set the mixture aside to cool. Once it has cooled and/or before using, strain out the hibiscus flowers.
Using tape, create a V shape in the glass. With a silicone brush (or your use your clean fingers), apply honey between the pieces of tape. Set aside. Pour smoked salt into a saucer and crumble some dried rose petals – they are brittle, so this step should be relatively easy. Then sprinkle the salt rose petal mixture onto the honey area between the tape on the glass, allow to settle a bit and tap to secure adhesion. Remove the tape and set the glass aside once more. Tap again if needed.
Add all other ingredients to blending machine and blend until smooth. Pour into garnished bucket glass. Chilled glass is even better but not necessary.
Glass: bucket glass
Garnish: honey adhesive smoked dried rose petals
**Whatever doesn’t fit in the glass can be consumed directly from the blender cylinder. Yup, I was drinking straight from the cylinder contemplating whether to decant it into a garnished glass. #appeovedbytheblonde
Where to buy the goods like jiggers, saucers, smoked salt and blending machines? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront, of course. Please know I may receive commissions from eligible purchases.
Please be of the legal drinking age and drink responsibly.
