Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Blood Orange Margarita


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It’s the citrus season, guys!  Which means, it’s harvest time from my In-Law’s beautiful garden with gorgeous Meyer Lemons, grapefruits, kumquats, mandarins, oranges, and blood oranges, etc.  I’m so excited because I’m a big citrus fan.  If you’re not familiar with the blood oranges, they are a variety of orange with almost-blood-colored flesh, hence the name. This fruit is smaller than an average orange. The distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanins, a family of antioxidant pigments common to many flowers and fruit.  The skin of the blood oranges can be tougher and harder to peel than that of other oranges.  The flavor is stronger and the aroma is more intense as well.  They have a distinct, sweet flavor with a hint of raspberry, yum!

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Take a look at the picture above, aren't these blood oranges bloody gorgeous?  I know, their name might not be too appetizing, but they taste wonderful and I am simply in love with that deep red color.

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I can’t help it but to turn them into this gorgeous cocktail.  This Blood Orange Margarita is sweet and tart at the same time, and the tequila adds just the right kick (no pun intended).  The lime zest salted rim of the glasses adds another dimension of flavor while you sip.  So, make sure to serve this Blood Orange Margarita with a wedge of lime.  I was having fun sipping the margarita, licking the lime zest sea salt on the rim, and then biting into the lime wedge right after.  That reminds me of the fun “tequila pop” drink that I love back in the college years.  Oh boy, that was bloody long time ago!

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I hope you enjoy this cocktail recipe and give it a try if you come across these gorgeous blood oranges in the market.  Bring them home, they are full of vitamin C and antioxidant goodness.  Stay tuned for more fun citrus recipes in the near future.

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Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.





Blood Orange Margarita: (Printable Recipe)
Makes: 2 servings

2 limes, zest and juiced
1 tablespoon flaky sea salt (for the rim)
1 cup ice
1 to 2 tablespoons agave nectar (depending on the sweetness form your oranges and your preference)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
4 ounces tequila

In a shallow plate, gently toss the sea salt and zests from the limes together.

Rub the rims of your glasses with a lime wedge and dip the rims in the lime zest and salt mixture.  In a cocktail shaker, combine ice, agave, lime juice, blood orange juice and tequila, and shake for about 30 seconds.

Evenly divided the cocktail into the prepared glasses.  Garnish with a wedge of lime and a slice of blood orange.  Add a couple pieces of ice if desired.  Enjoy.

97 comments:

  1. Looks so beautiful and I love your presentation as well as the recipe. Cheers! :)

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  2. Hi Amy

    Thanks for dropping by my blog and your lovely comment, that's how I discover your beautiful food blog.

    Your works are so so pretty.

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comment, Angel. I'm glad that you've stopped by. Hope you'll be back often. You have a beautiful blog yourself too. I really love your recipes. :)

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  3. Just beautiful, I love citrus and blood oranges are one of my favorites Your photo's are stunning!

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne. Glad you love my pictures. If you love blood oranges, this is a must try. So good.

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  4. This cocktail looks refreshing and color very attractive! May I have one glass please? :)
    B

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    1. Thank you, Esther. Your cocktail is coming right up! Cheers!

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  5. This sounds delicious and looks gorgeous to boot!

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like this gorgeous drink. :)

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  6. Oh Amy, this drink is just gorgeous, and the taste must be amazing, too. Such styling. xo

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like the pictures and styling. Yes, it tastes amazing too. :)

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  7. Love the color! I've never had a blood orange margarita - sounds like a nice variation. Great photos, fun post - thanks so much.

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like it. Oh, give the blood orange a try if you see them in the market. I love them.

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  8. I love margaritas and the color of this one is amazing. Your photos are gorgeous.

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    1. Thank you, Elaine. Of you love margaritas, gotta give this a try. :)

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  9. Wow Wow Amy! The cocktail looks so colourful!

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  10. Oh this looks so beautiful!!! I just love it!
    I wish we had blood oranges here, I have never actually tried one but I have heard wonderful reviews!
    ...is it too early for a Margarita??

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    1. Hope you'll find them available in the market in the future. I personally love the flavor and that gorgeous color as ell. :) Hehe...and to me, it's never too early or too late for a Margarita! Cheers! ;)

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  11. Such a exotic looking drink! I love a good margarita and this recipe makes me miss the summer time. Will def be trying this out at one of my summer BBQ's!

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    1. Thank you Natalie. Glad you love margarita. The blood oranges are in season now. I don't recall seeing any from my in-law's yard during summer time. But you can definitely use other oranges to make this margarita, just that might not have that gorgeous red from the blood oranges. :)

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  12. You are so lucky to get access to such goodies. This is gorgeous and I'll bet it is delicious. I am swooning!

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    1. Thank you, Abbe. Yes, I'm such a lucky girl who gets all kinds of treats from my In-Law's garden. :)

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  13. Looks fantastic! I'd love one, if not for the bloody cold.

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    1. :P Hope you'll get warmer weather soon. Stay warm and dry!

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  14. Wow, looks fabulous and I am sure it taste fabulous too. I love margarita and will definitely try making this at home when I see blood orange.

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    1. Thank you. Let me know how it goes if you've tried it. :) Cheers to you!

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  15. Oh Amy - the colors! Citrus fan here too :)

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    1. Yay! Glad to "meet" another citrus fan! :) Cheers, Sandi!

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  16. Hi Amy, love your photography. The colors are so vibrant and inviting. The blood orange margarita sure looks gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like my photography. This is such a delicious drink that I'll be making it quite often. :)

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  17. Looks perfect! I love your photography too. Colors, composition, lighting, fresh ideas...gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Olivia. :) Glad you love my photography. I'm still learning everyday.

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  18. Colorful Blood Orange Margarita and perfect for margarita day. Wonderful use of citrus! #citruslove would love a sip.

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    1. Thank you. Glad you love the color. I didn't know it was Margarita day when I created this post. It was just a delicious coincident. ;)

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  19. I'm so jelous that your in laws have citrus trees! I love blood oranges. They are always so expensive. You made them look incredible :)

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    1. Thank you, Cass. I know, I'm so lucky to have access to citrus trees. They are so awesome. :) Stay tuned for more citrus recipes coming up.

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  20. The drink looks so good and I guess it tastes even better! I don't think I have seen blood oranges sold at my place before. Can the blood oranges be replaced by grapefruits in your recipe?

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    1. You can replace the Blood Oranges with any other kinds of oranges. If you use grapefruits instead, the drink might be too tart. So, might need to adjust the agave amount if you use grapefruit. ;)

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  21. Amy , I bet your in-laws garden smells like heaven ? *sigh* :D The blood orange margarita so as your photos are gorgeous !

    Sluuuuuurp ! Drink responsibly ! Yes Ma'am ! lol

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    1. Oh yes, it does! I love hanging out in my In-Law's garden. Thank you and I'm glad you like my photos.

      :) Yes, gotta drink responsibly...good girl that you catch that and follow! Cheers!

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  22. Hi, Amy! Thanks for visiting my little blog that later led me here! This is exactly what I need! You see I love to try something new and though they might not turn out pretty all the time, the joy of looking at the excited faces around the table is priceless! I saw some nice things to try here :)so, you just got yourself a new follower!

    GREETINGS FROM DUBAI!
    MRS JACK OF ALL TRADES DAILY
    http://mrsjackofalltradesdaily.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words. If you try any recipe, let me know how they turn out. I'm always open for critic and feedback. ;) Thank you so much for following. You have a lovely blog that I can't wait to read more as well.

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  23. Nice way of presenting your cocktail - lovely!

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    1. Thank you so much. I'm glad you like it. :) Cheers.

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  24. Oh my God! That looks amazing! :)
    Thank you for your comment, I am following you! Hope you follow back! :)

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    1. Thank you so much. I'm glad you like it. :) Yes, I'm following you back, of course. I love your blog and your style.

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  25. This looks SO good! Amy, just the color puts me in a brighter mood. I'd love to be sipping on one right now. :) I love margaritas AND blood oranges. :)

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    1. Thank you, Sally. Great to know the colors brightens up your mood. :) I agree, I love the color so much.

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  26. I can't decide what would be more enjoyable: trying this margarita or just staring at your beautiful pictures. Gorgeous.

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    1. Thank you. Glad you like my pictures. Hm...I think you'll enjoy even more if you make this drink and then stare at the real thing in your hands, take a sip and stare at it again.... Now, I get thirsty by typing all these myself. LOL...I'll make one tonight for sure. :P Cheers!

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  27. What a beautiful cocktail! And your garnishes throw it over the top! :)

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  28. Amy, this is a gorgeous drink! Blood orange is always my orange of choice when in season. I prefer using it over naval or valencia orange. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will have to give this one a try.

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    1. Thank you, Anne. Glad you like this drink. I love the gorgeous color from Blood orange too. Cheers!

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  29. This is absolutely gorgeous ! And those pictures are beautiful ! love it so much !

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    1. Thank you. I'm so glad you love this. Cheers! ;)

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  30. You made this for me, didn't you?! Margaritas are MY drink! Love the colour, love the sound and I reckon I'm going to have to try this out!

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    1. Oh, of course. Glad you love margaritas too! Cheers! :)

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  31. I've always found blood oranges particularly beautiful, and your photos are breathtaking. I love margaritas and I love them slightly sour, so I'm sure I would thoroughly enjoy a glass or two of yours. I will be heading to buy some blood oranges tomorrow ;-) Thank you for the excellent idea.

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comment. Oh yeah, I love the sweet and tart combination in this margarita. Hope you'll like it too. ;) Cheers!

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  32. Gorgeous cocktail indeed!! This looks delicious, and perfect for a warm summer day. I LOVE that slab of wood that you have..is that a cutting board!?

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    1. Thank you, Brittany. Glad you like it. The wood is a serving platter. It has a shinny polish so I don't think it's good as cutting board. :) I love this piece a lot too. It's one of my favorite photo props. ;)

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  33. Oh what a gorgeous cocktail Amy! I love blood oranges, too. Though they are only available for me for about a month or so. I baked with them this week. Some of my oranges were kind of a tiger stripe red...but still beautiful! I would love one or two of these beautiful drinks! : )

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    1. Thank you, Anne. Glad you like it. I know, I don't get these Blood Oranges often so I really cherish them whenever I get some from my In-Law's garden. ;) Cheers to you!

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  34. What a stunning and fabulous cocktail! Would appreciate your feedback after trying my Cabbage Fritters. Have a beautiful Sunday!

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    1. Thank you. Yes, I'll definitely let you know how the Fritters turn out after I try them out. Can't wait.

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  35. Wow.....fabulous presentation...... Looks gorgeous... :-)

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    1. Thank you, Helen. Glad you like my presentation. :) Cheers!

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  36. You're so lucky!! I wish somebody in my family grew....something! Haha It doesn't even have to be citrus but that would be a bonus, indeed ;). I'm actually going to start volunteering at the community garden center so hopefully I'll get rid of my black thumb once and for all. I love how you wrote in bold letters Meyer lemons! They're my absolutely favorite!! So plump and juicy! I haven't had a margarita in so so long...this one sounds fantastic! Hope you have a blessed week, Amy!

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    1. I know. I'm such a lucky girl to get all those yummy citrus fruit. How nice that you volunteer in the community garden center. Actually, I have a black thumb myself too. Maybe you can pass over a few tips after you learn something there. ;) The "Meyer Lemon" was in bold because there's a hyper link. If you click on it, the site will lead you to the picture of the Meyer Lemons I got from my In-Laws from a previous time. :P Hope you'll give this Margarita a try. Cheers, Min and happy Friday!

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  37. They look beautiful, refreshing, and delicious!

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    1. Thank you, Pam. It was really delicious. :)

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  38. That color is just ahhhhmazing, Amy! Love the idea of using blood oranges in this way =)

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    1. Thank you. So glad you like this. Yes, I adore the color from the blood oranges. Cheers and happy Friday!

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  39. Those look so delicious! I do have a question though, in the recipe it mentions juicing the limes but never mentions using the juice, are you supposed to?

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    1. I must had one too many Margarita when I typed this recipes up. :P Yes, you DO use the lime juice in it and I just updated the recipe. Thank you for catching my typo, Sarah. :) Cheers to you!

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  40. i've been dreaming to have my own garden for years but living in NYC makes this dream hard to come true, yet :) Anyway, this bloody orange margarita looks amazing! I really need to get those bloody oranges when I shop next time. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you. Yeah, I remember your post on your pot of herb! I hope it's still doing well? Although I live in CA, I don't have my own garden either (and I would love to have one someday too). I only have a few herbs plants as I don't really get a back yard for garden. So, I'm enjoying fruits and veggies from my In-Law instead. :) Yes, do give this a try, I personally loved it. Cheers!

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  41. I must say that your food shots & presentation are gorgeous! U're making me so thirsty now! Hahaha!

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    1. Thank you, Shirley. Glad you love my presentation and pictures. Cheers and Happy Friday!

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  42. I don't drink, but the photos are stunning.

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    1. Thank you. Hm...maybe I'll create a non-alcohol based drink next time. ;) Happy Friday.

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  43. I will have to wait for winter for our blood orange season but I really want to try this - it sounds amazing.

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    1. Yes, its always nice when the fruit are in season. I just got the last batch of these beautiful oranges from my In-Laws. I still see the market carry them though. Do you also have a blood orange tree yourself?

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  44. Thank you for inviting me over. I'm going to check it out soon. Have a wonderful weekend.

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