The Mighty Rita

To bring the first day of summer to its knees this year and wrestle with the incredible heat that is currently breathing down our necks, stopping us in our tracks and wrapping us in its intensity here in California, I have a solution: The Mighty Rita. (That's a classic margarita for the lay person.)

This afternoon I decided that I couldn't sit in my car and idle the air conditioning to get out of this incredible heat... it's just too expensive. So I decided to move onto step number two and pull the Cuervo out of the freezer, pick a couple of limes and empty the ice bucket.

This rita is so simple that you'll never go back to packaged mixers.

1-2 shots of premium tequila (I have been told that Jose Cuervo is the best for making margaritas - but it's really up to you. There are a couple of different grades you can get, and I'll be honest, the more money you spend here the better your margarita will taste and the cooler your day will become.)

A splash or six of Grand Marnier orange liquor.

Juice from about 3 limes.

Pour everything over a bucket glass of ice, stir with a cocktail straw and enjoy under a sun hat on the hammock in the back yard. Be careful though and drink a glass of water after each rita you have... otherwise your day tomorrow may be a bit hotter than everyone around you.