Here is a drink with a bit of whimsy. Take a margarita, surprise it with a tequila sunrise and then blend it all together as a frozen drink with an orange peel garnish. What fun!

What Is A Margarita?

According to most bartender guides, a margarita is a cocktail drink of tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice. Often it's served with salt on the rim of the glass. It can be served with ice (called on the rocks), with no ice (called straight up) or blended with ice (frozen). If you go into any chain casual restaurant with a bar you will find that the margarita is no longer just those 3 original ingredients. Every type of fruit is now used to make margaritas (strawberries, peaches, blueberries among others) and the options seem endless. Unless you are a purist about the name, the explosion of drinks calling themselves margaritas is just a fun take on blended drinks. For the most part, bars are calling any drink made with tequila and lime juice a margarita. Some times the drink doesn't even have to have lime juice. This drink is a basic frozen mixed drink. Your blender will be perfect for this recipe, you just toss most of the ingredients in and pulse. The orange liqueur used can be either Cointreau or triple sec. Both have similar flavors but the Cointreau is a bit more concentrated. It also is more expensive. You will want to use highball or cocktail glasses for this drink. The traditional margarita glass won't show the color separation that makes this drink so fun to look at. Another tip-put the glasses in the freezer for a bit before preparing the drinks.

Ingredients

1. • Margarita or coarse sea salt, for rimming glass
   • 1 lime wedge, for rimming glass
   • 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
   • 1 1/2 cups orange juice
   • 3/4 cup (6 ounces) tequila
   • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) Cointreau or triple sec
   • 2 tablespoons lime juice
   • 3 cups crushed ice
   • 1/4 cup grenadine
2. For Garnish
   • 4 orange slices
   • 4 maraschino cherries

Preparation

1. Spread a layer of salt in a shallow dish. Run lime wedge around the rims of 4 highball glasses to moisten; dip rims in salt. 2. Place orange juice concentrate, orange juice, tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice in a blender. Add ice and pulse until smooth. Divide margarita evenly among glasses. 3.Tilt glasses and pour 1 tablespoon grenadine down the side of each drink; grenadine will sink to the bottom and create a sunset effect. Garnish with orange slices and maraschino cherries and serve.