Champagne Margaritas

This is one of those cocktail recipes that should come with a warning—it's too easy to drink, even for those who aren't the biggest fans of tequila. The Champagne (or any other dry sparkling wine) rounds out the strong flavors of the tequila and lime, adding bubbles and a wonderfully round flavor that will most likely have you reaching for flute after flute.

The recipe advises mixing the margarita component and chilling it at least an hour in advance. Once it's mixed up (in pitchers for easy pouring), all that's left to do is rim the flutes with salt, top with Champagne, and enjoy.

Champagne Margaritas

- serves eight

Adapted from Fiesta at Rick's by Rick Bayless.

Ingredients

The finely grated zest (colored part only) from 1 lime
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup Cointreau
1 cup 100% agave silver tequila
Superfine sugar, if needed for adding sweetness
A half lime for moistening the glass rims
Coarse salt
1 bottle chilled brut Champagne or other sparkling wine

Procedure

1. Make the margarita mixture: In a pitcher, combine the lime zest, lime juice, Cointreau, and tequila. Taste the mixture: if you like the bracing flavor (it will be quite tart), leave the mixture as is; if it's too tart for you, stir in a little superfine sugar. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

2. Serve: Strain the mixture to remove the zest. Moisten the rims of eight 6-ounce Champagne glasses with the cut side of the lime half. Spread coarse salt on a small plate, then upend the glasses into the salt to crust the rims. Fill each glass halfway with the margarita (it'll take a generous 1/2 cup). Slowly fill the rest of the way with Champagne or sparkling wine, and hand to one of your lucky guests.