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How to make the Mercado Margarita, a supremely balanced cocktail

An elevated take on an iconic cocktail

By Mark Stock Feb 12, 2026 8:40 AM

Toro Chicago spread. — Toro Chicago

There are a few good reasons to bust out a great margarita recipe and get to shaking. For starters, we’re in the midst of the exciting winter Olympics. Also, many of us are stuck in the winter cold, eager for something a little more tropical, if only in our glass.

Need another reason? Well, National Margarita Day is coming up, should you be the type to celebrate such a thing. It goes down on the 22nd and bars all over the land are celebrating. You can make a classic, sure, but why not go with something a little more crafty?

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That’s where this drink comes in, a Margarita that achieves a special kind of harmony. It’s a special blend of complementary flavors and a cool bit of presentation. The drink looks a bit like a sunset somewhere faraway and beach-y.

So, keep shuffling through those barrel-aged beers and hot cocktail recipes. But if you want something a little more south of the border, this is your drink. It’ll take you away to the streets of Mexico City, by way of a great Windy City restaurant.

This recipe comes to us from Toro Chicago. Read on for details.

Mercado Margarita

This is a drink that’s all about balance, giving you equal parts acidic kick, floral elements, and a spiciness.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Casamigos Jalapeno
2 ounces sweetened Les Boirons Passion Fruit Puree
1 ounce lime
1 ounce hibiscus rosemary foam
1/2 ounce agave
Citrus wheel for garnish

Method:

Shake all ingredients except foam in tin with ice and strain over cocktail glass with fresh ice.
Add foam and garnish with dehydrated orange.

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since… Read Full Bio

Porter Road brings elevated Nashville BBQ flavor home with new pulled pork

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When spending the day with your smoker isn’t an option, Porter Road still has us covered. This popular meat brand just dropped a new, ready-to-eat, fully cooked pulled pork bringing classic Nashville BBQ flavor to your home. Made with pasture-raised pork and perfectly seasoned with a signature blend before being slowly smoked over hickory – all you need to do is heat and serve to enjoy classic BBQ at your home (even on the busiest of days). Whether enjoyed on it’s own, piled high on a brioche bun, spooned into taco shells on a Tuesday or atop a massive plate of nachos, there’s endless ways to enjoy this savory new pulled pork.

Available now direct from Porter Road, each 1 lb, frozen package is priced at $22. Each package of frozen pulled pork is seasoned with a spice blend that includes smoked salt, black pepper, white pepper, brown sugar, onion powder, sweep paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, chili powder, and dried bay leaf. To enjoy, after thawing pork in the fridge, bring a pot of water to a simmer and place the sealed package of pork in the water bath. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until warmed through. Remove from the water, open the package and empty into a bowl. Fluff the pork with a fork and enjoy.

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When many drinkers think about gin, they are likely to envision traditional London dry gin. That’s because, like the West Coast IPA when it comes to IPAs, the London dry gin is the standard for the spirit style.

While I love a nice glass of whiskey (or a whiskey-based cocktail), the summer months were made for the pine and botanical flavors of London dry gin. This juniper-forward version is also the perfect choice for cocktail enthusiasts (in drinks like the iconic G&T, Gin Gimlet, Negroni, and more) because of its piney, botanical flavor profile, which pairs perfectly with citrus and other summery flavors. Today, I’m going to take a deep dive into this popular gin variety.

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Old Forester, the Louisville, Kentucky brand that bills itself as America’s first bottled bourbon, just released the newest entry in its 117 Series: Triple Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky.

The milestone here isn’t only the char — at least, not entirely. It’s also that Triple Char is the first Old Forester expression made entirely from whiskey distilled at the brand’s Main Street distillery.