The purple margarita at Baby A’s has become an iconic drink at this popular restaurant chain. With its vivid purple color and delicious fruity taste, the purple margarita is a customer favorite. But what exactly gives this specialty margarita its unique purple hue and tasty flavor? Read on to find out all the ingredients that go into making Baby A’s signature purple margarita.
What Makes the Purple Margarita Purple?
The vibrant purple color of Baby A’s specialty margarita comes from two main ingredients: blue curaçao liqueur and blackberry puree.
Curaçao liqueur is a bright blue orange-flavored liqueur made from the dried peels of laraha citrus fruit grown on the island of Curaçao. Its striking cobalt blue color helps give the purple margarita its base purple-blue tone.
Blackberry puree is made by mashing fresh blackberries into a pulpy juice. The deep purple-red hue of blackberries adds a rich berry tint to the blue curaçao, combining to create the drink’s distinct eggplant purple color.
When swirled together in a glass, the bright blue curaçao and deep purple-red blackberry puree mix to create a stunning royal purple drink.
Curaçao Liqueur
Curaçao liqueur has been made on the island of Curaçao for over 100 years. Traditional curaçao uses laraha citrus fruit peels as the main flavoring ingredient. Laraha is a citrus that grew from the hybridization of oranges and tangerines on the island. It offers aromatic citrus oils that give curaçao its distinct orange taste.
To make blue curaçao, the clear curaçao liqueur is infused with a food-safe blue dye. This transforms the transparent liqueur into a striking blue color. The dye they use to produce the cobalt blue hue is called Brilliant Blue FCF. It provides a stable and vibrant blue color that makes the curaçao pop.
The combination of laraha’s orangey flavor and the electric blue color makes curaçao liqueur the perfect ingredient for creating Baby A’s vivid purple margarita. Just a few ounces of the blue liqueur can color an entire cocktail pitcher a bold purple shade.
Blackberry Puree
Deep purple-red blackberry puree is the other essential component for making Baby A’s signature purple margarita. Fresh blackberries are pureed and strained to create a smooth pulp that retains the fruit’s rich dark berry color.
Blackberries get their dark purple hue from a high concentration of anthocyanin pigments. These antioxidant compounds are found in many red, blue, and purple fruits and vegetables. When crushed during pureeing, the anthocyanins in blackberries create an intensely colored juice.
This dark and tart blackberry puree balances the sweet orange flavor of the curaçao liqueur. Just a couple ounces blended into each drink provides plenty of blackberry color and flavor.
The combination of the two vividly colored ingredients – electric blue curaçao and deep purple-red blackberry puree – creates a stunning blended purple that is the signature of the Baby A’s margarita.
Other Ingredients in the Purple Margarita
While curaçao and blackberry puree are the key purple components, Baby A’s purple margarita also contains some classic margarita ingredients:
Tequila
The base spirit of the purple margarita is tequila. As in a standard margarita, tequila gives the cocktail its backbone of earthy agave flavor. Baby A’s uses a premium silver tequila in their purple margaritas. Silver tequila has a smooth, crisp taste that allows the fruit flavors to shine.
Triple Sec
Triple sec is an orange-flavored liqueur that adds a layer of citrus taste. The orange and tangerine notes of triple sec complement the orange in the curaçao, enhancing the margarita’s citrus profile.
Fresh Lime Juice
What’s a margarita without some lime juice? Fresh squeezed lime juice adds tartness and acidity to balance out the sweet fruit flavors.
Simple Syrup
Simple syrup, made from equal parts sugar and water dissolved together, brings sweetness and viscosity to the drink. Simple syrup allows the margarita to have a silky, emulsified texture.
Ice
Ice is also key! The purple margarita is shaken with ice to chill it down to an icy cold temperature.
Recipe for Baby A’s Purple Margarita
Here is a breakdown of the approximate recipe and proportions used to make Baby A’s signature purple margarita:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Silver Tequila | 5 oz |
| Blue Curaçao | 1 oz |
| Triple Sec | 1 oz |
| Fresh Lime Juice | 1 oz |
| Simple Syrup | 1 oz |
| Blackberry Puree | 2 oz |
| Ice | 1 cup |
To make one purple margarita:
- Fill cocktail shaker with ice cubes
- Pour in tequila, blue curaçao, triple sec, lime juice, simple syrup, and blackberry puree
- Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds
- Strain into salt-rimmed margarita glass filled with fresh ice
- Garnish with lime wedge
The tequila, orange liqueurs, syrup, and lime provide the margarita’s flavor base, while the curaçao and blackberry puree deliver its vivid purple color. When all the ingredients are combined and shaken together, they create Baby A’s signature purple margarita.
Why the Purple Margarita is So Popular
So what makes the purple margarita a can’t-miss menu item at Baby A’s? Here are some of the reasons this colorful specialty cocktail has become a customer favorite:
Unique Visual Appeal
The purple margarita’s vivid hue is its star attraction. The neon purple color created by the combination of electric blue curaçao and deep berry-red blackberry puree is eye-catching and Instagram-worthy. The purple margarita is loved for its photogenic quality.
Delicious Flavor
In addition to its looks, the purple margarita simply tastes amazing. The balance of sweet oranges and berries with tart lime and earthy tequila makes for a great flavor. Customers love its fruity taste.
Fun Drinking Experience
The purple margarita is often ordered by patrons looking to spice up their happy hour or girls’ night out. The flashy purple drink provides a sense of excitement and adventure when ordering. Customers have fun ordering something more unique than a standard margarita.
Brand Recognition
The purple margarita has basically become the signature drink of the Baby A’s chain. Locals and visitors alike seek out this specialty margarita for the one-of-a-kind Baby A’s experience. The purple margarita helps give Baby A’s its identity in the casual dining space.
Creativity
By using unexpected ingredients like vividly-hued curaçao and blackberry puree, Baby A’s mixologists were able to devise a creative spin on a classic margarita. The purple margarita showcases the innovation coming out of the Baby A’s bar program.
Conclusion
With its stunning royal purple color and delicious fruit-forward flavor, the purple margarita at Baby A’s has become an iconic cocktail on the restaurant’s menu. The combination of orange-flavored blue curaçao liqueur and deep purple blackberry puree gives the drink its signature vivid eggplant color that looks beautiful and tastes amazing.
Next time you’re dining at Baby A’s, don’t miss out on trying their famous purple margarita. One sip of its refreshing fruitiness will have you hooked on this specialty cocktail. So whether you’re looking to spice up happy hour with friends or want to impress visitors with an Instagram-worthy drink, the purple margarita is sure to become your new go-to order. Thanks to its gorgeous color, tasty flavor, and creativity, Baby A’s purple margarita will keep you coming back for more.