A Strawberry Rhubarb Margarita for Cinco de Mayo

What’s the measure of a really good man? At the end of a long day, he’ll make you a kickass margarita — and before you even get home, he’ll set everything up and take pictures of it for your blog.  THEN — after you get home and he’s just about to sit down, finally, and relax — and because you’re just a little crazy — he’ll calmly agree to take even more shots… because you have an unexplained but obsessive need to get that one little detail right.  Oh, the patience!

It’s a good one I have on my hands, you guys.

… and we won’t even start on the margarita. I really can’t think of anything better for Cinco de Mayo than this sweet, tart, tasty concoction — I mean it epitomizes spring, does it not? And since the process involves making a fresh batch of rhubarb simple syrup that will keep in the fridge, we’ll be drinking these guys all weekend.

Do you have any big plans for the 5th of May? Any excuse to cook up a little Mexican food and break out the margaritas is a good one in this west coast lady’s book. Goodness I miss that food, go out and have some for me if you’re lucky enough to live where it’s right! Sorry east coasters, your Italian food is better — at least you have that.

Strawberry Rhubarb Margaritas
Adapted from Bobby Flay

Rhubarb Syrup, recipe follows
2 cups white tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup triple sec, such as Cointreau
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh ripped mint leaves
Crushed ice, for the shaker
8 fresh strawberries, hulled and finely diced

Rhubarb Syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large stalks rhubarb, coarsely chopped

Combine 1 1/2 cups water and the sugar in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rhubarb and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and steep for 1 hour. Drain the liquid into a small saucepan and cook over high heat until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the syrup to a bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.