Here at Drink of the Week HQ downtown in our undisclosed location, it’s officially summer. It’s hot and sometimes humid, and the answer to a lot of our problems is another light and icy cocktail.
We have to pace ourselves, but the other day we got invited to stop by Arnoldi’s for a game of bocci and we realized that, yes, we should probably get some exercise other than lifting glasses to our mouths.
It was out here watching grown men trying to sidle up to a small white ball with much larger ones that we realized two things.
One: the waiters at Arnoldi’s deserve a medal for not hitting each other on that blind corner between outside and inside.
Two: This summer’s bocci match needs a cocktail. Fortunately, Corey Poole whipped us up a proper sipping margarita.
Many places in town offer a Cadillac margarita — it’s a catch-all phrase for a top-shelf cocktail with Grand Marnier floated on top.
At Arnoldi’s this beast comes in a full pint glass and it’s serious business. You will definitely want to slowly nurse this over a few rounds as the sun slowly sets over the back patio of this Santa Barbara institution.
It’s a lazy day when this drink appears. We hope it’s a justly earned one for you, too.
THE ARNOLDI’S CADILLAC MARGARITA
4 ounces Herradura Silver
1 1/2 ounces lime juice
Splash of orange juice
Splash of sweet and sour mix
Splash of soda
Grand Marnier to top
Combine tequila, orange and lime juices, and sweet and sour over ice. Shake and pour into pint glass. Top with soda and Grand Marnier.
Yield: 1 drink