When it comes to the drink, I’m almost exclusively a beer man. In contrast to many of the stories I’ve encountered, I took to the stuff like a fish to water — no settling-in period for this beer aficionado. When it comes to mixed drinks I’m considerably less eager. The array of choices is oftentimes bewildering, and to make matters worse there’s a perceived social value of mixed drinks that beer doesn’t seem to have 1.

1 By which I mean that certain drinks are considered “tough” or “cool” and others are “wimpy” or “lame.” I never claimed it was valid.

In any case, I’m making an effort to remedy this. There’s just something undeniably cool about being able to whip up a tasty cocktail. I’m making a concerted effort to better understand and appreciate the noble mixed drink.

Of late, I’ve been somewhat obsessed with the margarita. I came across a recipe on the movie site Pajiba that piqued my interest in this drink. I had long avoided it, believing it to be suitable only for cackling businesswomen at happy hour. Popular culture has made it out to be such a girly drink, and due to my aforementioned belief that drink choice is based largely on image I wanted no part of it. I never said I wasn’t stupid or in the possession of sexist notions.

So, the wife and I tried the recipe linked above and liked it a hell of a lot. It’s a damned tasty beverage with a sizable kick. I actually prefer it with a little less of an initial kick. The recipe below has a pleasant slow buzz to it.

Squeezing the limes is tedious, but oh-so-necessary. The next time I try a pitcher I think I’ll try out the juicer we received last year and rarely use anymore.