Fresh blackberries with a savoury kick from the sprigs of thyme – a combination of flavours that work perfect together! This cocktail is sweet, refreshing and surprisingly easy to make.
It’s important to call out the use of thyme in this cocktail, as although subtle, it is a worthy addition. The thyme will help bring out the tequila’s spicy notes, whilst adding gentle, herbal notes to the drink.
Although you might think the Maldon Salt rim is just for decoration, it actually serves a purpose! The flaky sea salt adds balance to the drink due to counteracting the bitterness from the tequila and enhancing the sweetness from the blackberry. The rim also provides texture, stimulating your receptor cells.
Here is how to make our Blackberry & Thyme Margarita…
Mix together the Maldon Salt and the picked thyme leaves on a small plate. Set side.
Rub the rim of a lowball glass or short tumbler with the wedge of lime so it is wet. Then, turn the glass upside down into the salt and thyme mix and press, turning it so that t there is a good even coating of salt around the rim of each glass.
In a cocktail shaker add the 6 blackberries and 3 thyme sprigs. Muddle these well by pressing the the blackberries so that they burst and break down.
In the same shaker add the tequila, agave and lime juice.
Fill the shaker half full of ice, then pop the lid on and shake well for a minute until the shaker is cold to touch.
Add some ice cubes into your salt rimmed glasses.
Pour the margarita through a fine strainer into each glass.
Garnish with the remaining blackberries and a sprig of thyme in each glass.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
How to make this virgin / alcohol-free?
You can easily make this recipe virgin / alcohol-free by replacing the tequila and using a combination of ingredients:
Lime and lemon juice to bring citrus.
Tonic or Sparkling water to add bubbles.
Simple syrup / agave syrup to balance out the tartness.
What to serve with this cocktail?
As Mexico is the homeland for a classic margarita, it makes sense to pair a delicious Mexican dish with this drink! Serve our tacos to experience a perfect balance in flavours from the fiery zest of the pulled pork with the sweet and slightly bitterness of the blackberry and thyme.
We find that tequila also pairs beautifully well with grilled seafood, such as squid or prawns. Serve our BBQ prawns, tossed in a chilli and garlic marinade to give you a gentle kick of spice whilst you take a sip of your sweet, soothing margarita.
What other herbs would work instead of thyme?
If you are not a fan of thyme, blackberries pair well with mint and basil. Additionally, rosemary and sage work well with blackberry, but please do add sparingly as tend to be very strong in both taste and aroma.
Join us in creating our delicious Bellini cocktail; infused with the wintery flavours of sweet, fig jam with an added kick of zest and fizz through the use of lemon juice and prosecco. Head over to our Fig Jam recipe to make your very own fruit preserve in the comfort of your home. Homemade jam tastes much better than store bought due to the rich nutrients that your garden soil can bring, with also being a much healthier alternative due to having less sugar content than the usual store bought versions.
The origins of the renowned Bellini is believed to have come from the mid 1930-1940s, where Giuseppe Cipriani based in Italy, (founder of Harry’s Bar), named the drink after it’s striking ‘sunset’ colour in which reminded him of the paintings by Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini! This is why we use the flavoursome fig jam in our Bellini, as not only does it give a delectable, rich taste to the drink, it also gives a vibrant, peach colour which will ‘wow’ your guests as you serve them this tipple.
Add the ingredients into a shaker with plenty of ice, securing the lid or shaker tin tightly.
Shake with both hands until well chilled in a vigorous motion, horizontally over your shoulder. You will know you have shaken well when the shaker starts to frost up from the outside.
Strain your cocktail into a chilled glass with ice.
To finish, add a small pinch of Maldon Salt to enhance the sweet flavour of the fig jam.
Garnish the cocktail with dried orange and lemon slices.
Do you enjoy making cocktails?
You can find our Cocktail Club series with the talented Christie Knight on our YouTube Channel. The series includes how to make cocktail classics such as the Bloody Mary, to unique alcohol-free tipples including the Negroni.
The classic margarita is part of the ‘sour’ cocktail family, traditionally consisting of tequila, triple sec orange liqueur and lime juice.
There are many debates as to who created the iconic margarita, one of them being of legendary bartender Pancho Morales. Pancho was working at Tommy’s Place in Juarez, Mexico in 1942 when a woman requested a ‘magnolia’. Apparently, Pancho did not remember the ingredients for this drink, so instead combined a few ingredients together and named it after another flower instead, a daisy which is called ‘margarita’ in Spanish!
Today, the margarita cocktail is reportedly consumed by Americans 185,000 per hour, being the most popular cocktail in the United States. The reason for it’s popularity is due to the drink containing all five main tasting elements: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, causing is to be a perfectly balanced drink. It also holds a fresh kick of citrus from the lime juice and triple sec, which is an orange-flavoured liqueur.
Using Maldon Salt for the rim is a vital step for serving a classic margarita. The salt helps mellow the bitter flavours, and enhances the sweet, citrus notes from the triple sec instead. Causing the sourness of the drink to appear more brighter in flavour, it allows the cocktail to become more pleasurable. It also adds texture to the drink from the flaky sea salt, allowing you to experience a subtle, satisfying crunch as you take your first sip.
Here is how to make our Classic Salted Margarita recipe…
Place a generous pinch of Maldon Salt onto a small plate. Set aside.
Run a lime wedge around the outer rims of a rock glass and dip the rims into the Maldon Salt. Set aside.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, Cointreau triple sec, and lime juice. Fill with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled, roughly 15 seconds. You will know when it has chilled because the bottom of the metal shaker should begin to frost over).
Fill the glass with fresh ice. Begin straining the margarita mix into the glass.
Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
What alcohol is in a margarita?
The main alcohol in a margarita is tequila. This is then combined with lime juice and orange liqueur. We recommend using El Tequileño Blanco as your choice of tequila for this recipe, as it’s made with agaves from the Highlands of Jalisco, resulting in a slightly sweeter taste that pairs beautifully well with the lime juice and triple sec.
How to make this virgin / alcohol-free?
A virgin margarita is commonly made with lime juice, agave, orange juice and sparkling water or tonic water for bubbles. The combination of ingredients makes a well-balanced and sweet mocktail from the classic, allowing you to enjoy the flavours of a margarita but without the alcohol part!
What to serve with margarita cocktails?
It makes sense to serve delicious, Mexican-style dishes with a margarita cocktail! Our tacos are filled with deliciously tender pulled pork with fiery, zesty notes that pair perfect with the margarita’s citrus flavours.
Because margarita’s have a zesty, limey flavour, we also recommend dishes such as seafood to enhance this further. Try our deliciously tender grilled tuna steak with tomato and Salsa Verde to give a refreshing burst of flavour with a gentle kick of spice.
Celebrate Christmas with this festive fruit vodka cocktail. Using the flavours of grapefruit and blood orange, this drink has a delicious citrus twist which your guests will love and keeping going back for more!
We also add a salt rim to the cocktail using Maldon Sea Salt flakes! The reason we use a salt rim is to help counteract the slightly bitter notes from the grapefruit and blood orange, whilst elevating the natural sweetness of the red currants. The salt rim also gives texture to the cocktail, enhancing your experience as you take a sip. Head over to our Where to Buy page to find your nearest store to grab a pack now and have a go!
Ingredients for the Perfect Christmas Cocktail:
1 or 2 lime wedges
Maldon Sea Salt flakes
3 parts of grapefruit juice
3 parts of blood orange juice
1 part of vodka
Frozen red currants
Sprigs of rosemary for garnish
How to Make Your Christmas Cocktail
Run the lime wedge around your cocktail glasses and dip into the Maldon Salt.
Combine all the parts in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake well and strain into your prepared glasses. Garnish with the frozen berries and a sprig of rosemary.
Tips for Garnishing and Serving Your Christmas Cocktail
There is an art in knowing what type of garnishes to use for your cocktails and how to serve them. Doing these two things well will add a wonderful festive touch to your drinks, and impress your dinner guests!
Use Seasonal Ingredients
We recommend incorporating fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme into your cocktail, as these flavours mimic the aromas of Christmas. They also resemble miniature Christmas trees, adding a playful twist to the drink! Include the sweetness of cranberries to add a pop of festive red to your cocktail. You can also add a slice of orange or lemon to bring a gentle, citrusy warmth to the drink.
2. Ice with a Twist
Instead of using classic ice cubes, why not try freezing cranberries, mint leaves or rosemary sprigs in the ice cubes for a decorative and functional garnish? You can also use larger ice moulds shaped like snowflakes, stars or Christmas trees to add that ‘wow’ factor!
3. Festive Glassware
Choose glasses with seasonal designs, or opt for a clear glass to showcase the colourful layers of cocktail and garnishes. You can also tie a small ribbon around the steam of the glass for extra charm. On the topic of tying ribbons around the stem of the glass, why not add a personal touch to your drink, by adding name tags to glasses using gift tags tied with twine? This will give a nice, personal feel to your cocktail, making it extra special to them.
4. Creative Stirrers and Picks
Swap your classic cocktail picks with a festive topper! Use skewer marshmallows, sugared cranberries or citrus peels to give a delightful Christmas look and feel. You could even use candy canes as stirrers and add a delicious peppermint kick to the drink.
These touches will ensure your Christmas cocktails look as amazing as they taste!
Why Maldon Salt is Perfect for Cocktails?
Maldon Salt is an excellent choice for cocktails due to it’s unique characteristics that elevate both flavour and presentation.
Flaky Texture
Maldon Sea Salt has unique pyramid-shaped flakes that offers a saltiness with sweet precision, a fresh intensity and clean taste. It’s easy to handle and perfect for creating a visually appealing salted rim that gently dissolves as you sip. Unlike fine table salt, Maldon Salt offers a mild crunch without overwhelming the drink’s flavour profile.
2. Pure, Clean Taste
Maldon Salt has no additives. It has a clean, natural taste that compliments the ingredients in your cocktail. It’s flavour enhances the drink without the harshness of processed salts, making it ideal for delicate flavours.
3. Flavour Enhancer
4Maldon Salt amplifies the complexity of sweet and sour cocktail, creating a more dynamic flavour profile. It also boosts aromas and adds depth to cocktail, balancing the bitterness and enhancing aromas in sophisticated drinks like margaritas, Palomas, or smoky mezcal cocktails.
Pro Tip:
For best results, lightly wet the rim of your glass with citrus juice or water, before dipping into Maldon Salt for a even and clean application.
Whether you’re crafting a classic margarita or experimenting with a savoury cocktail, Maldon Salt brings an understated luxury that’s perfect for elevating your creations.
