by Nancy Mitchell

Feeling like tequila? Here’s a nice little alternative to a margarita. I first spotted this drink on the excellent cocktail menu at Beaver’s Icehouse, and was immediately intrigued by the combination of tequila and creme de cassis*. I was surprised when the waiter told me it was a classic cocktail. Sure enough, the El Diablo cocktail made its debut in Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink way back in 1946. Here’s my version of this old classic.

*Creme de cassis is a purple liqueur flavored with blackcurrants, a kind of berry that grows in europe. It’s relatively inexpensive, and also makes for a very delicious and very pretty champagne cocktail.

El Diablo
1 1/2 oz tequila
1/2 oz creme de cassis
1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 oz ginger ale

Combine the tequila, cassis, and lime juice in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass and top with the ginger ale. (Most recipes don’t specify a quantity of ginger ale, but this sort of drives me crazy, seeing as “top” could be very different depending on the size of your glass. I find 1.5 oz to be about right.)

Garnish with a slice of lime, if you’re feeling extra fancy. Cheers!

Find more of Nancy’s delicious drink recipes on her blog, The Backyard Bartender.