The Weers Ranch ‘Rita
by
This weekend, backyards all over the US will be packed as friends and families celebrate Labor Day with a final BBQ. Sadly, it marks the unofficial end of the quintessential summer drink, the Margarita. So in honor of a great summer, here’s a recipe for simple, cheap and delicious Margaritas – perfect to serve at, or bring to, your Labor Day Celebration!
As scientists, we do well with holidays that occur in the beginning of the month (aka, when we still have money in the bank). But for this drink, the cost is low enough to enjoy any day of the month!
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Ingredients:
- 1 can Frozen Bacardi Mixers, Margarita (10-ounce)
- 10 ounces Tequila (a nice Reposado works well but can be anything; steer clear of the plastic bottle varietals…)
- 1 shot Triple Sec or Cointreau (recommended, but not required)
- 1 whole lime, peeled
- Ice
- Green olives
- Margarita salt (for rim of glass – optional)
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Protocol:
Add frozen Bacardi mix to blender, use empty can to measure Tequila. Combine all ingredients (except salt and olives) in blender. Fill ice to top of liquid and pulse until slushy. If necessary, adjust consistency by adding more ice or cold water.
Pour margarita salt into small plate. Rub lime slice around rim of glass and invert glass into salt to coat the rim. Decant (hey, we are scientists…) margarita and garnish with 3 green olives on a toothpick.
Take a sip and enjoy the party!
During graduate school, I drank many a ‘Rita with family and friends at the Weers Ranch in Santa Cruz, CA. After tasting these, I’ll never go back to the bottled mixes again!
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kathryn
wrote on September 4, 2009 at 9:03 am
Great! This will be our Labor Day drink and we will toast the Weers and Benchfly.
Dan
wrote on September 4, 2009 at 1:15 pm
As a card carrying mixologist (and a PhD student), I can appreciate a good cocktail. I have 3 tips for making a more consistent frozen beverage: 1) Pick up a bag of ice from a gas station/supermarket/etc. These cubes tend to be smaller than those made at home with those clunky ice trays, and as a result, they blend better. 2) Store your alcohol in the freezer. I have found that anything above 15-20% (30-40 proof) will not freeze, and as a result, will not melt your ice the instant you pour it. 3) Err on the side of too much ice.
alan@benchfly
wrote on September 4, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Awesome tips! There's nothing worse than adding room temp booze to a bunch of ice and getting a semi-chilled, diluted drink…
PlayLady
wrote on September 4, 2009 at 10:29 pm
This is the perfect marriage of my two favorites…tequila and dirty martinis (the olives, at least). Does drinking this lead to the perfect marriage…period?!?? If so, I'd like the super size please.
Recipes: Chemistry You Can Eat | BenchFly Blog
wrote on December 2, 2010 at 4:50 pm
[…] Weers Ranch ‘Rita – turn a classic margarita into a superstar with just a few minor tweaks […]
Robin's 'Rita: A Bubbly Twist on a Flat Classic | BenchFly Blog
wrote on May 27, 2011 at 11:59 am
[…] is quite as refreshing on a hot summer day than a margarita and the Weers Ranch ‘Rita is a delicious place to start. To give a bit of variety to your ‘rita repertoire, we […]