Sip and Dip: My Gaucamole and Margarita Party

          Did you know that Monday September 16 is National Guacamole Day?? To celebrate this day (which really should be a national holiday) I participated in the Sip and Dip Challenge! As part of this challenge, I received a copy of Gaby Dalkin's cookbook Absolutely Avocados, a bottle of Piedra Azul Tequila, and a $25 gift card to Whole Foods all to host my own tequila and guacamole party!

          Gaby Dalkin is a food blogger at WhatsGabyCooking.com, a Private Chef, and most recently the author of Absolutely Avocados, an amazing cookbook with tons of recipes using avocados!

           One of the things I liked most about this book was the introduction, which included a description of several different types of avocados (I had no idea there were so many), tips on buying and storing avocados, judging ripeness, and how to proper technique to cut and remove the skin. Gaby also includes a great suggestion, to squeeze a bit of lemon juice over a sliced avocado to keep it green longer. I love avocado slices as a snack or in my salad, but always try to eat the whole thing the same day so it wouldn't get brown (ok, I guess that isn't so bad... but I'll still use the lemon juice trick)!

          For my party, I decided to try two recipe's from Gaby's book: Bacon Cotija Guacamole and Mango Cilantro Guacamole. These were essentially the same basic recipe (avocado, lime juice, salt, serrano, and black pepper), with the additional toppings mixed in. Both were delicious, but the group favorite was by far the bacon cotija!

Bacon Cotija Guacamole

Mango Cilantro Guacamole

           In addition to the guacamole, I served chips, salsa, veggies, and my always popular homemade chicken enchiladas. It was a ton of food!

          What party would be complete without cocktails? To go with theme, I made two types of margaritas using the Piedra Azul Tequila and mixers from Whole Foods.

          Distilled at century-old La Madrileña in Tototlan, Piedra Azul Tequila is crafted from 100% blue agave weber from the southern Jalisco state of Los Altos, which gives it the robust, yet smooth and crisp flavor. Piedra Azul is named for the prized gem, Turquoise; in tribute to ancient Mexican ancestors who considered the Turquoise stone a sacred emblem of power, luck and protection. The award winning Blanco has light citrus flavors, with a bright clean finish, which made it a perfect pairing with the guacamole.

          I served both a classic margarita, and an agave nectar margarita which had a slightly sweeter, orange flavor. Both were popular with the group, and went quickly!

          Both the food and drinks at the party were a big hit, and everyone had a lot of fun! I can't wait to try out more of Gaby's recipes, which include more than just guacamole, and incorporate avocados into dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! If you want to check out the cookbook for yourself, visit my recommended reading list on Amazon and grab a copy.