Berta's Special

A dry and fizzy cocktail that might be a more appropriate Tequila Fizz than the recipe posted with this name. It is sour and sufficiently dry with a great egg white foam on top. So much about this drink is doing it right. It is dry and less sugary than a Margarita with orange bitters replacing the triple sec.
Then there's the addition of honey for sweetness that sets the drink apart from other fizzes. Maybe that's why this is Berta's Special.

• 2 oz. gold tequila (Sauza anejo used)
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 egg white
• 5-7 dashes of orange bitters
• sparkling water
• lime slice

Combine the first four ingredients in a shaker with no ice. Shake to produce foam. Add ice and shake to chill and pour into a chilled Collins glass. Top with sparkling water, garnish with the lime slice. 

Tequila Gimlet

The gimlet always seemed to me to be a poor man's Margarita. Even when made with gin, the recipe only called for liquor and lime cordial. No real lime juice or additional sugar was needed, just cheap syrup. I've even heard stories of people collecting snow because they didn't have a freezer for making ice.

Nowadays, no one would do a gimlet without fresh lime juice and simple syrup. The Tequila Gimlet is still simple, like a Margarita without triple sec.

• 3 oz. silver tequila
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Viva Villa

So what if you don't have triple sec at home. You might have one bottle of tequila on hand, preferably a white tequila, and a lime and some salt. You have the basic ingredients to make a Viva Villa!

• 2 oz. white tequila
• 2 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. simple syrup
• lime wedge
• coarse salt

Using the lime wedge to dampen the edge of a highball glass, rim the glass with coarse salt. Combine tequila, lime juice and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into the highball glass. 

St. Rita

Another recipe to help you use that bottle of St. Germain. It's true that there aren't many original recipes that use St. Germain, but it can improve just about any classic drink that depends on citrus and floral notes to create interest.

• 2 oz. silver tequila
• 1 oz.
• 3/4 oz. lime juice

Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake and strain into a Margarita glass full of fresh ice.

Cadillac Margarita

• 2 oz. tequila
• 1 oz. Grand Marnier
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. bar sugar

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a margarita glass or cocktail glass rimmed with salt. Garnish with a lime wheel. Additional float of Grand Marnier on top is recommended.