Here is a short video from our time in Tulum. Some of the advantages of traveling during the off seasons are that you have less traffic, when you see the bike ride part of the video, you will soon see how such a place can easily become a traffic nightmare. You also get into most restaurants with ease. Sit wherever you want sir, we are not busy. That said, some places close down during the off seasons so you don’t get to enjoy them at all. We also had total access to the hotel bar, which is pretty important to us. When you sit at a busy bar (or rather if you can find a seat) you do not get the same attention you would get if there are only a few people sitting there. The bartenders are more chatty with small crowds as are the other bar patrons. You never know who you will meet at the bar.
Our chatty bartender made us the best margaritas. Now, Robin and I are quite picky about our margaritas. We like them strong, mostly sugar free and we like to experience different local variations.
Our Base Margarita:
- Silver Tequila (double shot depending on mood)
- Fresh Lime Juice (be careful with this one, some bars will have concentrated lime juice or other more bar friendly concoctions that while technically constitute “lime juice” are quite far from tasing the same, especially for this recipe.)
- A splash of Grand Mariner.
- No other ingredients need be added at this point, especially agave nectar, which is practically a default.
- Add ice and salt the rim.
- Enjoy.
Spicy Margarita:
Use the same recipe as above, but add in some sort of spicy tequila. But where does one get spicy tequila? Well our bartender in Tulum had the answer and since he wasn’t particularly busy, he gave us his secret recipe. Ok, its not a secret and its not particularly complicated, but here it is.
- Cut a handful of habanero peppers into slices.
- Remove all of the seeds and ribs otherwise your tequila will taste bitter.
- Empty a bottle of silver tequila (keep it cheap) into a large mason jar and add the peppers.
- Let sit for a day or two.
- Use a strainer to remove the peppers and then a funnel to return the tequila to its original bottle.
- Make the standard margarita as described above using MOSTLY regular silver tequila and then add a small spoonful of the spicy tequila. CAUTION: This tincture of habanero and tequila is quite strong.
Mezcal Margaritas:
For a smokey twist on the traditional margarita, use mezcal instead of silver tequila. One bit of advice, do not use cheap mezcal. You want a mezcal you enjoy for its flavor. If you cannot enjoy sipping the mezcal from a snifter or a shot glass, then you probably won’t like it in your margarita either. With these margaritas, we tend to experiment with other forms of citrus, such as orange, grapefruit or even pomegranate.
Did I forget to mention that we are travel advisors? We can help you plan your next adventure even if it mostly involves sitting at a bar very far away from home. Just Click on the button above! Go ahead, don’t be shy…
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