I will admit it – I have a lot of bottles in my bar, but probably 80% of the time when I want to make a drink, I can’t be bothered to recall a complicated cocktail recipe, and I’m certainly not going to thumb through my many cocktail books to find something I can make with what I have on hand.  Often its just me, or myself and one other person, and I (we) just want something quick, easy and tasty without much fuss.  That’s the idea behind this new feature – something you can make with just two ingredients, that takes about three seconds, but is still imbibe-worthy.

I will admit, though, that I’m not going to restrict myself to ingredients that I just may happen to have on hand at any given time, because, well, have you seem my fridge?  It’s often a barren wasteland, especially when it comes to tasty mixers.  I almost never buy soda or juice just to consume on its own, but if it’s easy enough, I’ll remember to pick it up from the store if it’s half of an easy cocktail that I can throw together if a friend happens to come over.  So while you may have to make extra effort to go out and buy some of the ingredient-number-two’s I’m featuring, it may be worth it to know that you know always have on hand the secret ingredient for your own dead-simple house cocktail, should company pop by.

This first one is inspired by Trader Joe’s Limeade I bought when I was recovering from surgery and seriously craving a juice that could easily be cut with soda water.  While that preparation is delicious on it’s own, what isn’t better with a little booze added to the mix?  Mixed with mezcal or tequila, I thought it would make a sort of easy margarita, and I wasn’t disappointed.  Who needs margarita mix? (Seriously though.  Who DOES need margarita mix?)

Poor Man (or Woman)’s Margarita – or, Mezcal and Limeade

1.5 oz tequila or mezcal (I prefer the smokiness of mezcal – I still can’t stomach tequila after a few too many shots in college)

3 oz Trader Joe’s Limeade

Shake with ice in a shaker, and then pour the whole thing in a glass.  Or just throw it all in a glass and stir, depending on if you can bother with a shaker or not.