Rosemary Grapefruit Sparkling Margaritas

It was a tradition when we were in college to go get margaritas on Thursdays.  It was in the last day we were in a school during the week, and we had very light Fridays.  Thus, Thursdays were the perfect time to eat way too many chips and salsa and drink way too many margaritas.

It was around that table, surrounded by all my friends, in a restaurant aptly called Margaritas, that I fell in love with the drink.  And thankfully, I never got sick of them from over imbibing--I love tequila and margaritas to this day.

And while I still can't say no to enjoy a frosty frozen restaurant margarita, this sparkling rosemary grapefruit margarita is in an entirely different class. With fresh fruit juice, homemade simple syrup, and a delicious just there herby taste, the fresh homemade margarita stands alone.

And while I love tequila, it sits calmly in the background, mixing and playing with all the ingredients to create a really delicious margarita with very little tequila burn.  The grapefruit is the star of the show, the simple syrup sweetens and gives a barely there rosemary taste that adds so much depth to the drink, and the sparkling water tops it all off, and makes the margarita bubbly! I can't say no to bubbles.

Rosemary Grapefruit Sparkling Margaritas

Author: Happy Food Happy Home

Serves 2-3

Rosemary Simple Syrup

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Margarita

2 grapefruits, juiced (about 1 ½ cups of juice)

2 limes, juiced (about ½ cup of juice)

4 ounces tequila

2 ounces simple syrup

Rosemary Grapefruit Sugared Rim

½ teaspoon rosemary, chopped very finely

½ teaspoon grapefruit zest

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Sparkling Water

1.  Combine the water, sugar, and rosemary in a small saucepan. Heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Combine the chopped rosemary, grapefruit zest, and turbinado sugar on a small plate.
3. Use a little simple syrup to line the rims of two or three glasses. This will help the sugar stick to the glass.
4. Gently roll the rims of the glasses in the turbinado sugar mixture.
5. Combine the grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, and 2 ounces of the simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ½ cup ice cubes. 
6. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
7. Add three ice cubes to each of the rimmed glasses.
8. Pour the margarita evenly into the glasses.
9. Top with sparkling water to taste.*
10. Enjoy!

*I probably used a little less than ¼ cup in my margaritas. 

Make this delicious rosemary grapefruit to celebrate winter citrus, a snow day at school, or just because you really want to! Do you love margaritas? One of my friends can't stand tequila, and it's all my fault--but that's a story for another day :)