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Uncle Crappy

“words. pictures. beer.”

May 5, 2008 si.

It’s Cinco de Mayo, and as those of us who know us well would expect, Uncle Crappy and The Wife are celebrating by eating and drinking.

The eating part is pretty simple: take out from Rey Azteca, Butler, Pennsylvania’s finest — and, uh, pretty much only — Mexican establishment. We stuck with a couple of our regulars. The wife is fond of their carne asada — thin strips of grilled steak with veggies, beans and the restaurant’s excellent chunky pico de gallo wrapped in a warm tortilla. Uncle Crappy’s favorite? A simple pork burrito – roasted pork (maybe quick-fried to slightly extra-crispy?), wrapped in a huge tortilla and covered with a seriously spicy tomatillo sauce and a little cheese.

And we’re full now.

I shouldn’t pass on the chance to tell you about the margarita, either. The Wife found a Rick Bayless recipe for a champagne margarita she wanted to try. Here’s what Mr. Bayless recommends:

The finely grated zest (colored rind only) from 1 lime

1 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup Cointreau

1 cup silver tequila (I like El Tesoro and Partida)

Superfine sugar, if needed for added sweetness

1 lime, cut in half, for serving

Coarse (Kosher) salt, for serving

1 bottle Champagne or other sparkling wine

Directions

In a pitcher, combine the lime zest, lime juice, Cointreau, tequila and sugar if you are using it. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour). Just before serving, strain the mixture to remove the zest, and pour enough salt into a saucer to cover the bottom. Rub a lime half over the rim of each champagne glass and upend into the salt to crust it lightly. Pour about 3 ounces of the tequila mixture into each glass, fill the rest of the way with Champagne or sparkling wine and hand to one of your lucky guests.

She couldn’t find “superfine sugar,” so she used a little regular sugar when she was mixing ‘em up. She didn’t add much, though. The first glass was a little tart — not in a bad way, but there was a little more pucker than I was expecting. We added a little extra sugar — maybe a half-teaspoon — to the second glass, and the pucker was gone. without making the drink too sweet.

I’d like to try this using The Wife’s original measurements but replacing the champagne with something a little sweeter, like maybe prosecco. That might add the balance this drink needs. And even if you don’t bother — I’d recommend this highly.

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