Cocktail Hour: Mint Margaritas

Cocktail hour this week was a bit of a dilemma, with the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo falling on the same day!  I love bourbon, but I cannot say I am a big fan of Mint Juleps.  Perhaps it is because my enduring memory of them comes from a version a friend from college made at an impromptu derby party my senior year in college.  Lord only knows what kind of bourbon we used, though it likely came in a plastic jug or whether we used fresh mint.  I can't imagine that we did.  So, when it came time to choose which coktail to make this week I went with a margarita, but brought the Derby day mint to the party.  I did this by making a simple mint syrup and adding some of that and fresh mint to a simple classic margarita.  The result was a slightly herby, sweet version of the classic margarita.  I may even make my margaritas this way all the time (not that I make them that much, I also have some enduring, bad memories of tequila from a plastic jug from college which sadly prevents me from really loving tequila drinks the way I should).  If you are also facing a similar cocktail dilemma this weekend, try this hybrid Julep/Margarita!
Fresh Mint Margarita

Ingredients (for 2 small drinks)
Mint Syrup
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
handful of mint

For drinks
1/2 cup mint syrup
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
4 ounces tequila
2 ounces grand marnier or triple sec
fresh mint
ice
salt for rum

Directions:

1. To make mint syrup, combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. 
2. Turn off heat, cover and let steep 15 minutes.
3. Strain leaves out.
4. To make drinks, pour some salt on a small plate, then  rub a quarter of a lime over the rim of the glasses then dip into the salt to rim each glass.
5. Combine the syrup, lime juice, tequila and grand marnier in cocktail shaker.
6. Shake to combine, pour into glasses filled with ice.  
7. Add mint to taste to the glass and enjoy. 
8. Happy Cinco de Mayo Derby Day!