Rosarita!-the Rosemary Scented Margarita
Rosarita- the rosemary infused Margarita
“The cocktails are very serious here, ladies, we take cocktails seriously.” Ti Adelaide Martin, co-proprietor of the legendary New Orleans restaurant, Commander’s Palace, advised fellow food writer Nancie McDermott and me as we sat down to join her for lunch there last summer, urging us to imbibe.
“Most places you go, you get a horrible cocktail, so most people say just give me a glass of wine. I’m not going to drink this- whatever, this stupid drink you have.”
Then Ti Adelaide regaled us with the story of her mother (legendary New Orleans restauranteur, Ella Brennan) and uncle’s quest for the perfect Daiquiri (Martin’s favorite drink), from the days when travel between New Orleans and Cuba was commonplace. But my eyes had already lit on the Rosarita which beckoned to me from Commander’s impressive cocktail menu. Rosarita– a rosemary infused Margarita- Margaritas and rosemary, are you kidding? Two of my favorite things. Seemed like the perfect way to start a fabulous leisurely lunch to me. And lucky for you, I’m going to share a recipe just in time for Cinco de Mayo. For those of you who don’t love rosemary as much as I do, don’t worry- the woodsy, herbal notes are subtle. Of course, if you want more rosemary flavor, feel free to let the rosemary infuse into the simple syrup longer.
Ah- and if you do want to read about the perfect Daiquiri, visit my article about it at OKRA, the online publication of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. Roasrita recipe follows…
4 Comments
We’re such fans of rosemary that we know we’d love this cocktail!
May 6, 2012
So we are kindred spirits- so to speak 😉
May 7, 2012
Ah, I just killed my rosemary plant. I didn’t think it was possible!
May 9, 2012
When I was a teen, I didn’t know much about rosemary. One day a teen magzaine suggested brewing rosemary steeped in boiling water as a hair rinse (It was summer, I was riding every day, and I wanted to make sure my hair was extra-clean and not the least bit horsey). I rummaged in Mom’s spice rack, brewed the stuff, and as soon as the infusion cooled, I sniffed it. It smelled intriguiging. I wasn’t sure I liked the smell, but I just had to taste it…Well, I downed the whole thing. It was very different and refreshing. I had to brew more for that hair rinse.I’d totally drink a drink with rosemary-infused syrup!
June 27, 2012