This is a lovely drink to serve with brunch. Make each drink separately in stemmed wine glasses to show off the “sunrise” colors, which layer beautifully. Sometimes the colors blend together, but the drink still looks pretty, and most people stir to mix the drink anyway. It’s said by some that if you pour the ingredients slowly over the back of a spoon into the glass, this lessens the impact of the liquid falling in the glass and keeps each layer distinct. I’ve tried this and the results are pretty good. My usual method is to pour slowly right on top of the ice cubes. The ice cubes seem to have the same effect as the back of the spoon.

Shake up a few tequila sours for your next party, or mix the sours in a pitcher and stir briskly.

If a straight shot of tequila is a bit much for your taste, try a Tequila Salud that my husband, Bill, conjured up for me. When I sip tequila, my preference is reposado (rested), but if you have a favorite, use it. We always use 100% blue agave. Tequila Salud is best icy cold right out of the freezer, with a squirt of fresh lime. Salud!

In Mazatlán and other resort towns along the Pacific coast, a Mexican Screwdriver is sometimes called a Sinaloa Screwdriver, after the name for the coastal state of Sinaloa. This bar drink is served in a heavy 10-ounce glass goblet with lots of cracked ice. As with most Mexican cocktails, serve with a salted or spicy snack, such as Spicy Roasted Cocktail Peanuts or Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

This recipe reflects my favorite method for making a margarita—the authentic Mexican version—plus a few options to suit your taste. The classic is made with a good-quality silver tequila, Mexican (Key) limes, and the orange-flavored liqueur, Cointreau. The glass is rimmed with salt, then the margarita is shaken with cracked ice and strained into the glass. Of course, margaritas can be made to order. A common alternative is with no salt on the rim and poured on the rocks, instead of shaken with ice and strained. There are many stories about the origins of the margarita. One story details that the margarita was invented at Rancho La Gloria in 1948 in Rosarita Beach, south of Tijuana, and that it was named after a movie actress Marjorie (Margarita, in Spanish) King, who often visited the area. Another story claims that the drink originated in Acapulco in the 1940s and was made by Margaret Sames, a wealthy woman whose husband named the drink after her. Whoever is the source, she is honored every day in Mexican restaurants around the world! Silver tequila is traditionally used to make margaritas. The clear color mixes well with fresh lime juice and orange-flavored liqueur. Silver tequila is less expensive and complex than aged tequilas, and many margarita drinkers prefer to save the more expensive types for sipping and not mix or dilute them with other flavors. Of course, you can experiment and decide for yourself. Tequila is now so popular that liquor stores everywhere stock several brands and all types—silver, gold, reposado, and añejo. Either Cointreau or Triple Sec can be mixed with the tequila. For my taste, fresh lime juice is imperative. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, a pitcher can be used to mix the drink.