In this verdant green cocktail, a margarita takes a stroll to the garden, and comes back greener, fresher, and a little spicier.

Cilantro and ginger root get in the blender with margarita elements - lime, tequila and sugar - to create a lively emerald cocktail.  Herbaceous and citrusy, with that sweet, vegetal tequila note, it’s a fresher, more floral margarita.

My recipe started as a healthy, post-run, Sunday morning smoothie - the lime, cilantro, ginger, thing;  I had an apple in there.  This was pretty delicious: icy cold with little taste arrows pointing in all directions - sharp citrus, spicy ginger, peppery cilantro.  Even the palm sugar owned a solid piece of the taste real estate.  My husband and I took one sip and said, almost in unison,  “This is amazing; it needs tequila.”

Sometimes good health is served in a smoothie, and sometimes it arrives in a cocktail.  There were many served the very, very healthy night a bunch of friends all made tamales.  To be posted soon.

Cilantro Ginger Margarita

makes approximately 4 drinks

juice of 4 limes

3/4 inch chunk of ginger root chopped loosely

1/2 bunch of cilantro

2 tablespoons palm sugar or honey (or more to taste)

1 1/2 cups sparkling water

3/4 cup tequila (more or less to taste)

Instructions

Mix in a blender lime juice, ginger, cilantro, and 1 cup sparkling water.  Whirr until all is mixed well.  Pour mixture through a strainer and discard solids.

To this mix add another 1/2 cup sparkling water and the tequila.  Pour over ice in a shaker, shake hard, and strain into a glass.

Or, mix again in a blender with some ice cubes and serve in a glass.

To rim the glasses:

Set out two plates, one with a bit of palm sugar or honey on it, the other with sea salt.  Run the rim of the preferably chilled glasses first in the sugar, and then in the salt.