I have always loved going to new restaurants, traveling near and far to experience great food and drinks. But there is one restaurant in particular that I go back to time and time again: Bien Trucha, in Geneva, Illinois. My family and I have been going here for as long as I can remember. It's a destination restaurant in the Chicagoland area, a must try if you’ve never been.
This contemporary Mexican restaurant has some of the best hand crafted margaritas. For years they had an avocado margarita on their menu, but sadly the last time I went, they had cycled this drink off the menu. I went home and thought about how to recreate this drink. I started experimenting with ingredients and finally came up with a drink that is too good not to share!
If you have never had avocado in a drink, you might be thinking… that's strange. The first time I saw this drink I was skeptical, but of course, I had to try it. This turned into my all time favorite cocktail. It's light and creamy and quite delightful! The margarita is one of the most food-friendly cocktails out there because it helps cool down spice while the acidity compliments fattier foods. It pairs perfectly with so many dishes. Avocado adds a texture that is velvety and wonderful on the pallet. You can’t go wrong pairing this drink with any meal.
This margarita is made with silver tequila, but it’s also great with mezcal. I always like to make my own simple syrup - it’s fast and easy to make and you can store it in the fridge until you need it.
The key to a really good margarita is using fresh ingredients. It’s all about the fresh squeezed juice!
Creamy Avocado Margarita
Yield: 1 drink
Prep time: 20 minutes
For the simple syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Heat until sugar has dissolved in microwave or on stove top.
For the avocado puree:
1 ripe avocado halved and seeded
3 limes, freshly squeezed
4 oz simple syrup
Blend until smooth. If it's too thick, add more simple syrup to blend easier
For the cocktail:
2 oz silver tequila of your choice
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
2-3 tablespoons avocado puree
1. Put all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice, shake and pour over ice. Garnish with lime and fresh cilantro leaves (optional). A salted rim is also optional.
Customize this cocktail by adding more or less lime juice and simple syrup, depending on whether you like your drinks sweeter or more on the tart side. I hope you like this margarita as much as I do!
If you enjoy making cocktails and want to learn more about crafting delicious drinks, don't miss out on The Chopping Block’s hands-on cocktail classes with Spirits Expert Christophe Bakunas. Christophe just returned from a trip to northern Italy and brings back a wealth of knowledge about how to use Italian liqueurs to craft the most balanced cocktails you might ever make in his brand new class.
Join us for Bittersweet Cocktails on Friday, September 2 at 6pm at Lincoln Square and make:
- Fred’s Sour (Gin, Maraschino and Lemon)
- The 50/50 Classic (Mezcal and Vermouth)
- Paper Plane (Bourbon, Amaro and Lemon)
