Gingerbread Margarita

1. Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice. Add añejo tequila, lime juice, spiced orange syrup, and orange liqueur; stir until chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain tequila mixture into a coupe glass. Wrap orange peel twist around cinnamon stick, and lay across coupe glass to garnish.

Spiced Orange Syrup

TOTAL 15 MIN, PLUS 12 HR MACERATION; MAKES ABOUT 1 2/3 CUPS

Layers of oranges and sugar spiced with cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg macerate to yield this versatile syrup.

Stir together 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/4 tsp. each ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground all-spice, and ground nutmeg in a medium bowl. Layer 3 cups of 1/4-inch thick slices of navel orange (from about 2 large oranges) and sugar-spice mixture in a large lidded container. Seal; let stand at room temperature 12 hours. During final hour, shake vigorously every 15 minutes until sugar is mostly dissolved. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a 2-cup glass jar. Press oranges with back of spoon; discard solids. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in simple syrup. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. —DAVID MARZORATI JR., BALDAMAR, ROSEVILLE, MINNESOTA