Viva Magarita - Tapa dura

Another round of innovative margaritas, new collection of icy Uber-ritas, ultimate margarita cocktails tweaked and gilded with lusciousness into a whole new deluxe strata. One sip of a margarita always leaves you licking your lips for mas---mucho mas. And with Viva Margaritas there's plenty where that came from! W. Park Kerr from The El Paso Chile Company is back with more than 60 tequila-kissed recipes celebrating everyone's favourite cocktail. Purists will love the classic flavours of the Ultimate Margarita made with silver tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice, while those with a more adventurous spirit can experience the exciting Tex-Mex Martini, a concoction that tickles the nose with a hint of cilantro. Lemoncello liqueur packs a piquant punch to the refined Lemonada Blanco. And if you want to kick up your heels in true south-of-the-border style, try the Congarita, a margarita blended with fresh pineapple and creme de banane. Tasty recipes for salsas and dips are the perfect accompaniment to these sun-drenched drinks, and for those with a sweet tooth a slice of the sublime Flan Cake is just the ticket. From colourful snowcones and tequila gelatin shots to fruity infusions and crowd-pleasing party punches, Viva Margaritas will jump start any flesta.

W. Park Kerr is the founding owner of The El Paso Chile Company, a 23-year-old premium Southwest specialty-food business. He proudly distills his own tequila, Tequila Nacional. Leigh Beisch is a San Francisco-based photographer. Her work has appeared in many magazines, as well as in Olives, Anchovies, and Capers (0-8118-2494-2) and Cooking for the Week (0-8118-2128-5).