I read somewhere once that a good host should always greet their guests at the door with a drink in their hand. That it automatically puts everyone at ease and sets the tone for the evening. This is protocol I can live with. For dinner parties, it’s usually a glass of wine that I am sporting, or if it’s an especially good night, champagne, but for the holidays I like to do it up a bit more. Seize the festivities and run with it. So when flipping through the November issue of Bon Appetit I took one look at this recipe and knew I had our Thanksgiving starter. In fact, this was so delicious I see it kicking off another dinner soon…who knows, maybe even Christmas! 
Cranberry Margarita
Author: From Bon Appétit
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- ¾ cup fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated
- 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 lime wedge, plus 2 oz. fresh juice
- 4 oz. fresh orange juice
- 6 oz. tequila
Instructions
- Bring cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and jammy, 30–40 minutes. Mix in orange zest; let cool.
DO AHEAD: Jam can be made 5 days ahead. Cover and chill. - Mix salt, sugar, and five-spice powder on a small plate. Rub rims of Old Fashioned glasses with lime wedge; dip in salt mixture and fill glasses with ice.
- For each cocktail, combine ½ oz. lime juice, 1 oz. orange juice, 1½ oz. tequila, and 2 Tbsp. cranberry jam in a cocktail shaker; fill with ice. Cover and shake until outside is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain into prepared glass.
- Might as well start making another one at this point because they are so delicious you’re going to want another by the time you finish the first! Cheers!
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