The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance partnered with the World Margarita Championship on October 18th, featuring 20 finalists from Tucson Originals restaurants who prepared their finest margarita entries for judges and attendees alike. Here, we share the recipes of the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice winners.

 Senor Yakuza

1st Place, Judges’ Choice 
by Mixologist Aaron DeFeo, Casino del Sol Resort

This margarita uses Japanese flavors to accentuate the traditional form of the margarita.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz. Don Julio Blanco

1/2 oz. Pierre Ferrand dry orange curacao

1 oz. Shiso agave syrup

3/4 oz. lime juice

1/4 oz. Yuzu

DIRECTIONS

1. Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.
2. Top with cucumber foam and garnish with a shiso leaf.

Bleeding Frenchman

1st Place, People’s Choice
by Mixologist Chelsea Hendryk, Le Rendez-Vous 

This classic margarita features St. Germain and orange salt.

INGREDIENTS

1 Lemon

1/2 Lime

Blood orange juice

2 oz. St. Germain

2 oz. Reposado tequila

1 oz. Cointreau noir

Salt flavored with orange zest

Cava

Nasturtium flower, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine juice and all still liquors in shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Salt rim of glass and muddle blood orange ice cubes in glass.
4. Fill glass with juice and liquor mixture, and top with Cava.
5. Float Nasturtium flower on top for garnish.

For more recipes, go to greenlivingaz.com/recipes