Guess what today is? National tequila day! Woohoo! It’s really just a lovely excuse to dust off my tequila bottles and style a photo shoot. Who am I kidding here? My tequila bottles don’t last long in my home to collect any dust.

I pulled out my bar cart and had some fun with fresh produce and tequila. If you know me, you know that I can’t stand neon artificial sweet and sour mixes. There is no need for that gross nonsense. I make my own flavored margaritas with fresh fruits and fresh juice.

That’s when I came up with the idea of infusing my own tequila and making fruit-infused spirits. They add such an amazing flavor to drinks. Here are a few infused cocktails for some inspiration: Tequila-Infused Peach Sangria, Thyme Infused Ruby Red Grapefruit Margaritas, Spicy Citrus Margarita, and Strawberry Tequila Sangria.

I recommend selecting quality blanco tequila, but no need to buy a pricey bottle, just be sure its 100% agave so that it is smooth and lacks additives.

Summer is the perfect time to infuse tequila because there are so many fruits in season. Have fun picking your fruits, berries, citrus, and even chiles. I chose ripe mangos, figs, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, and watermelon.

All you have to do is wash your fruit very well and slice it. I purchased small 12-ounce jelly jars and packed them with slices of fruit and topped them with 4 to 5 ounces of tequila, screwed on the lid, and voila…so simple! Don’t forget to label your bottles with the name of the infusion, date, and drink within one year. As the sprits age, the flavor becomes more complex and smooth.

I’d suggest placing the jars in a cool dark place or in your fridge. Shake the jar once a day to break down the fruit and mix the juices. The infusion process can take up to a month.

If you are looking for a unique gift to give a hostess, give her a beautiful jar of some homemade hooch with a Latin Twist book (currently on special) or make a large batch and host your own fiesta and get figgy with it, and make these refreshing fig margaritas.

For recipe: http://muybuenocookbook.com/2015/07/fruit-infused-tequila-fig-margarita/