Mango Margarita

At the Casa Noble estate, bartender David Yan created this blended mango margarita recipe to showcase the property's own blanco tequila. (Of course, any blanco or silver tequila will work in this cocktail.) Yan coats the rim of the glass with citrusy Tajín-brand chile powder, which contains salt and dehydrated lime juice. Tajín is quite easy to locate, but another type of chile powder will give the drink a fun kick. We suggest sticking with one that is made of chiles alone, rather than a cumin- and oregano-heavy chili powder. To get a similar taste to Tajín, you might want to stir in a large pinch of salt before rimming the glass.

As for mangoes, the diminutive ataulfo variety — sometimes sold under the trademark "Champagne" — is readily available and provides enough mango flesh for this recipe. (In our experience, they are also the most flavorful and have the best texture of the mangoes commonly available in grocery stores.)

As far as snacks go, we recommend the usual suspects — tortilla chips and salsa fresca or guacamole — to accompany this margarita. For a heartier pairing, a refereshing aguachile or a platter of tostadas might be just the thing.