1 cocktail

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Do you get the feeling I am pushing the quarantine cocktails? You would be correct!

I didn’t bother pouring this version of a Margarita into anything more than a 20 ounce plastic cup. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s worthy of a cocktail glass, but my family and I are still porch-partying at home. That means casual, easy, and TASTY 🙂

Link to some of my other cocktail recipes, including

my most popular cocktail post for PIRATES PUNCH!

A BLACKBERRY-ROSEMARY VODKA & SODA

A Sloppy Rita is kind of the cheaters version of a traditional old-school Margarita. It ticks all of the cocktail boxes – cold, full of good Tequila, a messy rim – just no juicing required! Add a brown sugar butter-griddled pineapple slice – NO WORDS!

I was not going to post this. I really wasn’t. It’s cheap, it’s not fancy looking, and it’s kind of messy due to the rimmed glass…okay, plastic cup. This is my drink, the one I’ve been hooked on for about two months now. A Sloppy Rita. The idea for the butter-griddled pineapple was my idea. I remembered having had something similar but it was a caramelized banana I think, back in college (yes, Dad, this is ultimately what you paid for…). I remember loving it. Given so many NEA readers are struggling with the ability to actually get their hands on fresh ingredients in certain parts of our country, particularly fresh produce in the south and southwest, I am skipping the fresh limes, bananas, and wedges of papaya. If you want an ‘abbreviated sloppy,’ read on for a Sloppy Rita with Butter-Griddled Pineapple…

This recipe is for my cousin Sandy. Happy cocktailing, Sister.

No juicing required! I have it on good authority that juicing a whole lot of limes for one single cocktail is a downer. Okay, okay. I heard you. I also know many of you who tried my recipe for A Perfect Margarita Cocktail were blown away at how little it actually takes to get a great mixed cocktail going in the shaker. Yet, it is a drag when you consider all of those limes that need to be juiced for the cause. Now I am not abandoning my old-school Margarita. No way. Not happening. I am however, willing to share this recipe for all of you non-juicer types out there. So see? I heard you…

So, Tequila isn’t necessarily all the same. For aficionados, the most important identifier on the label of a tequila bottle is “100% agave” or “100% agave azul” – cien por ciento de agave azul. This means it is made only from the blue agave plant, with only agave sugars used for fermentation. Smooth, mildly sweet.

Because we are skipping on the fresh limes, a really good sour mix that begins with juice rather than sugar is essential. I recommend either Stirrings or Royal Rose. Both are fantastically flavorful mixers, the Royal Rose slightly more viscous.

Rather than a whole fresh pineapple, my local grocer had a nicely trimmed, cored fresh pineapple prepared in their cold case. If you cannot find fresh currently offered at your grocer, canned will absolutely work.

A Sloppy Rita with Butter-Griddled Pineapple is that at home, porch party, poolside extravagance, but in a plastic cup. No limes needed. I use sour mix, a good sour mix, 100% agave Tequila, orange liquor, and a splash of orange juice. That’s it. Shake it up and rim your vessel. You can serve iced or naked, your choice. I go iced because it is 100+ degrees in Charleston at the moment. The big dividend with this concoction is the butter-griddled pineapple. Ho ho ho! Yes, it’s fifteen extra minutes of fussing in the kitchen, but hey so many of us are still quarantining. You may griddle round slices or long spears. You’ll be happy to have taken the step, promise.

All images and text ©Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average, LLC