With its herby, savoury kick, this might just be the best Marg remix yet.
About the cocktail
Bartender, former spirits rep, one of the geniuses behind our cocktail recipes and regular contributor Matt Linklater poses a bold question with his newest cocktail collab: Is it possible to improve the world’s most-ordered cocktail? Regulars around here will be familiar with Matt. He’s weighed in on the best ways to upgrade your Bloody Mary and even helped bring our swish new cocktail book to life (check it out here). Now, we’ve lit up the Matt-signal once more and he’s delivered. His latest creation? A herbal, savoury spin on the easy-peasy, lime-squeezy Margarita. “There are so many ways to twist this classic – especially with seasonal produce,” Matt says. And twist he has. Sticking with the essentials – quality tequila, lime juice, and agave – Matt adds a seasonal flair with fresh passionfruit pulp and a pinch of fennel. Yes, fennel. Working with arak at new Melbourne restaurant Zareh, Matt’s no stranger to the anise family. So, for his Passionfruit and Fennel Margarita, he’s taken the famously love-it-or-hate-it flavour and made it a little more approachable. “Its divisive nature is exactly why I love working with it,” explains Matt. “Almost everyone loves passionfruit and Margaritas – fennel and passionfruit are an amazing pairing, so the drink is kind of like a Trojan horse.” The fresh fennel frond combined with the lime and passionfruit make the green crunch of the tequila really sing. But he stresses the secret to success is the quality of ingredients. “You must use a great tequila and fresh produce.” The final step to this herbaceous beast of a cocktail is the ground herb-salt glass rim. “Salt rims can easily be elevated by peeping into your spice rack, then complementing or contrasting the flavours in your cocktail,” Matt explains. “For me, the ‘licorice salt’ garnish is quite moreish, so it keeps you coming back for that next sip.” Keen to give the master’s Margarita a whirl? Hold that thought because we have some tips straight from the source.
Watch: How to make a Passionfruit & Fennel Margarita
Ingredients
45mL 1800 Blanco Tequila
15mL fresh pressed lime juice 15mL agave syrup 15mL fresh passionfruit pulp Pinch fennel frond Glass: coupe Garnish: 1 tsp fennel seed, 1 tbsp sea salt, ½ lime
Method
Prepare the garnish by grinding the fennel seed in a mortar and pestle, then mix it with salt on a plate Run a cut lime around half the rim of your glass and dip it in the fennel salt Put the glass in the freezer to preserve the rim and chill the glass while you mix the drink For the cocktail, add the remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker with a good amount of cubed ice Shake until the outside of the tin is frosty Strain it into your prepped, frosty glass
Matt’s top tips
Cocktails aren’t that deep, people. At the end of the day, it’s about making something you actually want to drink. So, if fennel or passionfruit aren’t really doing it for you, Matt’s advice? Mix it up.“Try subbing the passionfruit for your fave tropical fruit of choice and a complementary spice!” On that note, not everyone’s out here grinding fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle. That’s a level of effort and organisation most of us can only aspire to. If that’s not you, Matt’s got some good news: “Fennel comes pre-ground.” As for what to serve with this beauty? Don’t overthink it. “Ceviche and a holiday,” Matt says. Oh and hit play on ‘Ewà Inú’ by Kokoroko because Matt says this is the groove for sipping on a Passionfruit and Fennel Margarita.
