A Margarita Night

Now that Food52's Managing Editor Brette Warshaw has stocked her First Kitchen, she's ready to throw parties in it: no-stress weeknight parties for anyone, anytime, and (almost) every kitchen. You're invited.

Today: A dinner party plan, brought to you by Patrón. Sign up for a chance to dine at the next Patrón Secret Dining Society.

You need an excuse, maybe, to make a rib roast. To make a towering layer cake. To bake bread, to make lobster, to fry up a batch of beignets. 

You never need an excuse to throw a taco and margarita night.

Celebrate that it's summer. Celebrate it's a Monday. Celebrate you were able to convince people to come over, even though it's hot and their to-do lists are as long as your air conditioning bill. Celebrate that you have a tableful of guacamole and tacos and chocolate-chili ice cream sandwiches, and pitchers of margaritas to drink along with it all (because margaritas, as you know, pair with everything). 

The Menu

Lemon Lime Margaritas
Roberto Santibanez' Classic Guacamole + chips
Mango Salad with Fennel Frond Pesto
Coconut Lime Pork Tacos with Black Beans and Avocado
Double Chocolate and Chilli Cookes + vanilla ice cream

The night before: Bake your cookies and make your mango salad -- they'll be just as good (if not, better!) the next day. Get all the juicing of your lemons and limes out of the way, and make your crushed ice (it's fun, I promise). 

 

When you get home from work: Make the onion-chile-salt-cilantro paste for your guacamole, and store it in the fridge. 

A half hour before your guests arrive: Cook the filling for your tacos, and leave it, covered, on the stove.

When your pork's cooked and there's still a few minutes on the clock before the party starts: Mix up a batch of margaritas. Pour yourself one. 

When your guests arrive: Chop up your avocados, folding most of it into your paste for the guacamole. Juice some lemon or lime on top of the rest, and save it to garnish your tacos. Set out the guacamole and chips, and serve your first round of margaritas.

Right before dinner time: Heat your taco filling, gently. Warm up your tortillas.

Dinner is served: Bring out your pork, tortillas, some cut-up limes, your mango salad, and another pitcher (or two) of margaritas.

When dinner winds down: Bring out your spicy chocolate cookies and vanilla ice cream. Make ice cream sandwiches. Be happy it's a Monday. 

This article was broght to you by Patrón Tequila.