

#Best prickly pear syrup for margaritas free#
That said, if you have a need to find and boil your own prickly pear fruits, feel free to follow this recipe to make your own syrup. Instead, you can buy pre-made prickly pear syrup online and have it shipped to your front door for added convenience. What You'll Need to Make a Prickly Pear Margarita With Tequila Alternativeĭon't worry you don't have to go out and tackle a cactus to make this cold spring beverage. In fact, according to the website, this beverage is the most popular cocktail in Arizona, with Texas claiming the standard margarita (and for good reason). Since its inception, prickly pear margaritas have taken Arizona and the rest of the Southwest by storm. However, the official margarita recipe is much more recent, originating at a restaurant called The Fort, which drew from Colorado's trading history to develop this cocktail. Instead, the first mention of adding prickly pear juice to an alcoholic drink is from Colorado, from a place called Bent's Fort. Technically, the origin of the prickly pear margarita dates back to the 1830s, but not in the Southwest region. Many people use these fruits for syrups and jams, but they also work well for virgin cocktails. Boiling the "pears" eliminates much of the sourness and brings out the delicious sugary flavor. The fruits of a prickly pear are most ripe during the summer, but locals have a special way of extracting the best flavor from these Southwestern treats. As you might imagine, these fruits are not related to pears, but they can kind of resemble pears when picked and de-spined. Around each pad is a cluster of pinkish-purple nodes, which is where the cactus gets its name. You can tell a prickly pear by its wide, flat pads that have relatively massive spikes sticking out. While these cacti are not as ubiquitous as the saguaros with curved arms, they are pretty ubiquitous. If you think you haven't seen a prickly pear, you probably have. In fact, this cactus is native to the region, with a range that spans from Mexico to Texas to California. Whether you're living in the desert or just like a colorful and tasty mocktail, this prickly pear margarita recipe is sure to tickle your tastebuds! A Brief History of the Prickly Pear Margaritaįirst things first - what is a prickly pear? The name stems from a cactus that grows throughout the American Southwest but particularly well in Arizona. While most bars will serve a prickly pear with regular Tequila, we're opting to substitute this liquor for Durangold, a delicious Tequila alternative from Seir Hill.

When it comes to refreshing spring virgin cocktails, the prickly pear margarita is quickly becoming a fan favorite. No matter what time of day or where you're at, you can sip on a delicious mocktail without scrutiny or fear of overindulging. One of the best things about mocktails is how versatile they are.
