All About Blue Curaçao

What is blue curacao? This orange liqueur is what makes the blue margarita: you absolutely cannot get away with not buying a bottle! Here’s more about this popular liqueur:

• Blue curacao is an artificially-colored orange liqueur invented in the 19th century by Dutch settlers on the island of Curaçao. There are several colors of Curaçao: the most popular today are clear and blue. Blue curacao is flavored with the Laraha orange peel, a type of orange that grows on the island.
• How to pronounce Curaçao? Say it Cure-ah-souw.
• Curaçao is actually one of two types of orange liqueurs: Curaçao and Triple Sec. Curaçao is the original orange liqueur and is typically sweeter than a Triple Sec, a dryer style of orange liqueur and what’s typically used in a margarita.
• What does blue curacao taste like? It has a sweet orange peel flavor, with subtle bitter finish.
• How much does it cost? Blue curacao is inexpensive; a 750 ml bottle costs about $10. Try to buy a mid-range bottle; we like Drillaud brand (avoid DeKuyper). Steer away from blue curacao syrup, which is another product altogether.
• What other cocktails can you make with it? Try the Blue Hawaii, Blue Lagoon, or Blue Long Island.

How to Make a Blue Margarita

Got your blue curaco and tequila? Let’s get mixing! The blue margarita is a standard shaken cocktail: just shake it in a cocktail shaker! If you’re serving lots of people at once, make a pitcher (see below).

• Make the salt rim. The best salt to use is kosher salt or flaky sea salt: it has the best texture. Place it in a single layer on a plate. Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run it around the glass. Dip the outside rim of the glass in the salt.
• Shake up the ingredients. Place the tequila, blue curacao and lime in a shaker with 2 handfuls of ice and shake!
• Strain and garnish. Strain it into the glass and garnish with a lime wedge. To take it over the top, try clear ice! It’s crystal clear artisan style ice that looks just like a fancy bar.

Make It a Pitcher

Serving lots of blue margarita drinks at once? Make a pitcher instead! Combine the ingredients as noted below, making sure to add the specific amount of ice to help dilute the drink like a shaker would. Here’s how to make a blue margarita pitcher that makes 8 servings:

• 2 cups tequila
• 1 cup blue curacao
• 1 cup lime juice
• 3 handfuls ice

Add the ice and stir until cold. That’s it!

Variation: Whipped Chive Cream Cheese

If you like, you can make whipped cream cheese first for this recipe! Whipped cream cheese has an airy, light texture that’s even more spreadable than the standard. All you have to do? Mix the cheese with ½ tablespoon milk in a food processor or stand mixer, stopping and scraping as necessary. You can also simply use a whisk if you prefer! Go to Whipped Cream Cheese.

Ways to Use Chive Cream Cheese

This chive cream cheese is fantastic as a bagel schmear: but there are so many more ways to use it! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Bagels, or as part of a bagel brunch spread with cream cheese flavors like Herb, Whipped, Strawberry, Veggie or Cinnamon
• As a sandwich spread, like a Smoked Salmon Sandwich or Fried Egg Sandwich
• As a dip for pretzels, crackers or chips (this is especially good with whipped cream cheese) or carrots, celery, broccoli, bell pepper, or kohlrabi sticks
• On toast: Spread it on thick-cut sourdough bread or whole grain toast topped with sliced cucumbers or radishes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at the key players and why each one matters:

• Kale: My favorite is Lacinato kale, aka Tuscan or dinosaur kale. It’s milder and more tender than curly kale. However, I’m actually always surprised by how much milder curly kale tastes after massaging it: so it works here, too.
• Cherry tomatoes and English cucumber: You can add any veggies you like, but I like the combo of sweet cherry tomatoes and crunchy cucumber.
• Pickled red onions: If you haven’t made a batch of pickled red onions yet, this is a reason to do it! They keep for weeks in the fridge and bring a zingy flavor to salads.
• Crispy chickpeas (or croutons): My crispy roasted chickpeas are great as a snack — but I also love them as “croutons” for a salad. You can also use homemade croutons or any type of crunchy adder.
• Dressing: All you need is Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, and olive oil. This is one of my most easy salad dressings — Alex had the idea to keep it with 3 ingredients and it worked so well!
• Fresh dill: I made this salad without the dill once and I won’t ever again (ha!). It adds an herby intrigue that makes people ask why it’s so delicious (try it and you’ll see).

How to Make A Massaged Kale Salad

More Salad Recipes To Try

• Best Kale Salad
• Kale Quinoa Salad
• Kale Caesar Salad
• Kale Slaw
• Chopped Salad
• Mediterranean Salad
• Easy White Bean Salad
• 60 Salad Recipes Everyone Will Love

More Drink Recipes To Try

• Pineapple Margarita
• Frozen Piña Colada
• Watermelon Slushie
• Strawberry Slushie
• Easy Mint Water Recipe
• Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie

Ways To Serve It (And Batch Drink Tips)

Here’s how I like to serve my strawberry daiquiri:

• Glasses: Serve in a hurricane glass for full tropical vibes, or mason jars for backyard BBQs.
• Garnish ideas: Add a fresh strawberry as a garnish, or go fancy with a strawberry fan and a lime wheel. A mint sprig adds an extra, and you can always add a cocktail umbrella as a fun touch!
• Making batches for a party: Multiply the recipe, blending in batches as necessary. Store in the freezer. Before the party, re-blend (adding a bit of lime juice as necessary to get it to blend.

Other daiquiri recipes you’ll love

There are lots more daiquiri recipes to add to your repertoire! Here are a few more to try:

• The frozen daiquiri is tangy, sweet, and fruity: perfect for parties.
• Try tropical fruity spins like the banana daiquiri, pineapple daiquiri, or mango daiquiri.
• The classic daiquiri is one of the most classic sour cocktails! Or try the Hemingway daiquiri, where grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur compliment lime and rum perfectly.

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Frozen Daiquiri

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Banana Daiquiri

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Frozen Mango Daiquiri

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Pineapple Daiquiri