Margaritas and so forth

It's sometime surprising to find sources of good information come from unexpected places. So it was with my discovery of the 'perfect' recipe for Margaritas.

My nephew's wife is from Slovakia. Bratislava to be precise. He met her during a relatively brief period of college study in Germany. I gather it was love at first sight. They were married and are now busy making their lives in the U.S.A. Her sometimes deeply Eurocentric loathing of American sausage sometimes offends me to the bone, but I consider her, generally, to be a wonderful, intelligent, energetic, enthusiastic young woman. Actually, her frequent assertions that sausage from her home country is far superior to American sausage is probably factual.

Anyway, it wasn't long ago that my wife and I were visiting my nephew's father (along with my nephew, my niece (his sister), and their spouses, along with one of my sisters, when the young Slovak woman made Margaritas. She combined about 1-1/2 ounces of premium tequila, 1-1/2 ounces of freshly squeezed Mexican (small, like key limes) lime juice, and 1-1/2 ounces of triple sec, then shook it vigorously with ice. It was, at the time, the best Margarita I had ever had.

My wife and I have modified the recipe a bit to perfect it for our tastes. Our recipe:

1-1/2 ounces of Tequila Sauza Commemorativa Añejo (good, but not 'sipping' good)
1-1/2 ounces of freshly squeezed lime juice (regular, large limes)
1 ounce of Leroux triple sec

Shake vigorously with ice in a metal shaker, then strain into a large salt-rimmed Margarita glass (or use a large martini glass, as we do) [To rim the glass with salt, take a wedge of lime, put the 'sharp' face down along the rim of the glass, then coat the rim all around...then, turn it upside down onto a saucer covered with coarse kosher salt, tilting the glass and turning it to get ample salt coverage...tap the glass to remove excess salt].

While I do think this is a fine drink, it has tranformed our household in ways that may be unhealthy. I have turned into my wife's Margarita Slave. My job when we arrive home from work, or to have waiting when she arrives home from work if I leave early, is to prepare a Margarita for her. She deserves it, though.

Back to the source. I have no idea where Monika got the recipe...but wherever she got it, it was a fortuitous find.

Speaking of family, my niece and her husband were scheduled to have returned from Paraguay (her husband's home) yesterday [she met him while she was in the Peace Corps in Paraguay]. I assume they got back, inasmuch as my brother who was to pick her up at the airport called today to inquire about whether I have decided whether I can accompany him on his drive to Lake Chapala in Mexico. (KathyR wondered why I wanted to go to Mexico...it's not hot enough in Texas? Kathy, the temps on Lake Chapala this time of year range from the low 60s to the mid 70s, normally!)

I've yet to make a firm decision, but it still looks doubtful. Damn it! I want to go down there!

But back to the Margarita...you must try it (unless you have an alcohol dependency, in which case ignore this post entirely, please)! One of those wonders can change your mood, I assure you. It's not much alcohol, but the flavor in combination with the little bit of alcohol work wonders to relieve stress, bring your thoughts around to good things, and make you appreciate the little things this world offers.

Finally, tonight, in keeping with my periodic promise to myself to try to make a difference in the political landscape, I want to mention an automated telephone survey to which I just responded. Pete Sessions, a Republican idiot who somehow managed to get elected to Congress, called (his electronic alter ego called) with a survey. He asked questions that any first year sociology student would tell you were biased in the way they were phrased...sort of like "Do you agree that the U.S. should stay in Iraq until the Iraqis are able to handle their own security to guarantee their fragile democracy can survive?" (Not exactly that question, but you get my drift.) He asked lots of questions...and I gave answers that painted me as the bleeding heart liberal I am. An interesting question something like..."do you agree that only the union between a man and a woman should be considered to be a marriage?" I responded 'no' and his next question was, "Are you a male?" (I told the truth...I am) followed by, "Are you over 50 years of age?" Again, I acknowledged that I am. He then thanked me and hung up.

I wish I could have asked him a few questions: "Do you agree that you are am idiot who cannot go to the toilet without getting permission from George Bush?" Do you agree that you should be imprisoned for the remainder of your life for the political crimes you have committed against the American people?" "Do you agree that you and your Republican and Democratic colleagues who supported the invasion of Iraq on the basis of manufactured 'intelligence' should be stripped of your citizenship, set afire, and thrown from the top of a tall building?"

OK, I've done my insane political rant...now I'm OK and can get back to thinking about things that I can control...like the weather.