I don't know about you, but this weather has made me want to drink. Hoping to will sunshine and cool breezes, I've been ordering every fruity, refreshing cocktail I can get my pasty, white hands on.
I yearn for a summer tan, sun dresses, surf, sand, picnics in the park. Perfect timing, then, for Miss Shirley's to answer the call with their spiked take on a summer classic: the Strawberry Margarita Spritzer•.
You may be familiar with the non-alcoholic version; it's Shirley's most popular drink. And so, as executive chef Brigitte Bledsoe noted, the early arrival of spring inspired the busy breakfast and brunch hotspot to turn it into a cocktail, "something seasonal, something you could enjoy outside on a sunny day," she said. The result is a flirtation of Miss Shirley's tamer strawberry lemonade and a margarita.
I have to admit — lemonade and margaritas are two drinks of which I'm always wary. Most are served over-soured or overly-tart. But Miss Shirley's Spritzer, which I tried at the Roland Park location, avoids both. Sweet and sassy, this drink quenches your thirst and then some. Shirley's house lemonade — made with fresh strawberries and lemons — is blended with club soda, tequila, triple sec and lime juice. The combination of fresh, house-made ingredients keep the taste light and balanced.
Sure, it's still March. But I bet if you sit outdoors at Miss Shirley's, order a Strawberry Margarita Spritzer and shut your eyes tight, you might just convince yourself otherwise.
How to Make a Strawberry Margarita Spritzer
4 oz. strawberry lemonade
3 oz. club soda
1 oz. tequila
1 oz. triple sec
1/2 oz. lime juice
Pour together; garnish with a lemon, lime and strawberries.
Where to Get a Strawberry Margarita Spritzer
Miss Shirley's
513 W. Cold Spring Lane, Roland Park
410-889-5270
$6.99
• Note: A previous version of this post incorrectly referred to this drink as the Strawberry Lemonade Spritzer.