Three tequila cocktails to celebrate Day of the Dead

Altars, or sugar skulls, and bread of the dead aren't enough to celebrate the Day of the Dead! We have to incorporate what is undoubtedly the most Mexican of traditions: a toast with tequila.

So even if you are not of Mexican ancestry, you are Latina, and family is important to you! Today, let's celebrate and toast to our loved ones with these delicious cocktails. ¡Salud!

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Black Widow__

(Recipe from Duggan McDonnell, Cantina, San Francisco)

Ingredients:

1 ½ ounces of tequila

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon agave nectar

4 fresh basil leaves

3 blackberries

Preparation: in a shaker, press the berries with the basil leaves with a mallet. Add the tequila, lime juice, agave nectar and abundant ice cubes. Shake vigorously. Serve over ice and garnish with a blackberry and one basil leave.

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Chupacabra__ (Recipe from Michael MacDonnell)

I__ngredients__:

1 ½ ounces of tequila

½ oz fresh lime juice

¼ oz simple syrup (one part water, one part sugar)

4 oz. ginger beer

Chile salt to decorate the glass

Preparation: Decorate the rim of a highball glass with chile salt. In a shaker, pour tequila, lime juice and simple syrup and shake vigorously. Strain on the glass with plenty of ice and complete with ginger beer.

Reposado & Sangrita

Ingredients:

1 ½  ounces of tequila reposado

2 cups orange juice

½ cup lime juice

½ cup grapefruit juice

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 pinch dried chili powder

1 pinch of tree chili powder dry

1 lime wedge

Preparation: Combine all ingredients except the tequila in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain over a glass of tequila or a shot glass. In another shot glass, serve the tequila.

Images via Don Julio Tequila