Fragrant guava nectar and cava sparkling wine make the Desert Rose a chic Cinco de Mayo drink. (Photo by Paul Body)
Whew, it’s been a busy cocktail week with Cinco de Mayo coming hot on the heels of Champagne Juleps for Derby Day this weekend!
Fortunately, I created this fun and fragrant sparkling tequila cocktail called The Desert Rose for my book The Bubbly Bar. It uses the same sweet-tangy-tequila formula as a margarita, but I thought a blend of guava and passion fruit juices would give this drink a tropical flair.
It gets its sparkle from cava, the sparkling wine from Catalonia in Spain, but any brut or dry sparkling wine would work. Segura Viudas makes several great and affordable cavas as does Cristalino. For a great in depth discussion of cava, check out this article from the Culinary Institute of America. Guava and passion fruit juices can be found in the juice aisle of any Asian or Latin grocery store.
Salud!
The Desert Rose
Makes 1 cocktail
In this sultry sparkling version of a margarita, guava nectar and passion fruit juice add the sweet-tart flavor that would ordinarily come from sour mix.
1 ounce guava nectar
1 ounce passion fruit juice
1 ounce tequila
½ ounce Grand Marnier
Juice of ½ lime
3 drops rose water (optional)
3 ounces dry or brut cava, chilled
1 key lime slice for garnish
Add guava and passion fruit juices, tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice and rose water if using to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a margarita style glass. Top with the cava or sparkling wine. Garnish with lime.
