Maple Sugar Moon

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This variation on the Margarita was named for the chapter on maple syrup in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass; the Maple Sugar Moon is the traditional name for the full moon that occurs around the time that the weather gives us warmer days followed by freezing temperatures at night, when the maple sap begins to flow freely. From experience, tequila and mezcal work rather well with the maple’s flavor, which is not surprising since darker agave syrups and maple share some similarities. While the below recipe is made with a base of tequila, a 3:1 mix of tequila to mezcal would be a great touch to bring out smoky notes evocative of the fires used to boil down the maple sap every spring.

Makes 1 cocktail

2 ounces tequila
½ ounce Cointreau (or other orange liqueur)
½ ounce maple syrup
¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

Shake all ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice for 10 seconds and strain into a double Old Fashioned glass with fresh ice. Garnishing with a lime wedge or wheel would make for an elegant touch worthy of an Instagram post.

Note: As mentioned above, a more complex drink can be made by swapping the 2 ounces of tequila for 1½ ounce tequila and ½ ounce smoky mezcal. And for the orange liqueur, be sure to use a high-quality triple sec or curaçao, like you would use in a normal Margarita.

This recipe appeared in the Spring 2023 issue as part of a larger story, Love and Maple Syrup.