The holidays are here. While you’ve already decided on your Thanksgiving appetizers and your Thanksgiving dinner menu, or you’ve plotted on your Christmas potluck list, don’t skimp on the drink list. If you’re the host of the upcoming holiday party, this is a great opportunity to bring out your inner bartender. Even if you don’t have a fancy basement bar and will be serving drinks from your kitchen counter, feel free to explore how to make your favorite drinks (and theirs too).

Before your guests arrive, this is a good time to explore variations of popular drinks, such as tequila. This way, if you’re asked to make this drink, you’re more comfortable and not also scrambling to get food on the table. There are some tequila combinations that may not be a crowd favorite and plenty of other tequila recipes that are a winner from the first sip.

And tequila comes in a wide variety: floral, citrus notes, oak flavors, caramel, spice, woodsy, fruity and earthy flavors. With all of these tequila drink flavors, you won’t get bored making and testing a few.

Try this strawberry tequila recipe today to see if you’ll want to keep it in your liquor cabinet (and refrigerator) even after the holidays have come and gone.

Of note, if you plan to continue to learn to make drinks, it may be helpful to invest in a wooden glass rimmer for adding salt, sugar and lime on the edges of your glasses. Otherwise, a plate works OK.

Strawberry and Tequila Drink Recipe

Ingredients:

• Fresh strawberries
• 1.5 ounces of tequila
• One lime (or approximately 2 tablespoons of lime juice)
• One lemon (or approximately 3 tablespoons of lemon juice)
• Sugar
• Club soda

Directions: 

1. Mix sugar and cayenne pepper on a plate (or rimmer) until it is all merged together.
2. Cut a lime and slide it around the entire rim of the cocktail glass.
3. Flip the glass upside down, and press the rim into the sugar mixture.
4. Remove strawberry leaves, then wash the fruit.
5. In a shaker glass, add your freshly washed strawberries.
6. Use a mortar and pestle to or muddle to smash and smooth the strawberries.
7. Pour a single shot of tequila into the shaker.
8. Pour a single shot of syrup into the shaker.
9. Add the lime and lemon juice to the fruit and liquor mixture.
10. Scoop out enough ice to fill half the shaker.
11. Shake the entire mixture vigorously.
12. Once you’re finished shaking the drink, pour club soda on top.
13. Add an optional lime.

The beauty of this drink is it’s fairly simple to make. And for dinner guests who may not like strawberries, it can easily be substituted for another fruit on the spot. Keep a few extra pieces of fresh fruit on hand for various flavors, and try to enjoy one for yourself when it’s time to eat.