Ranch Water

As refreshing as the rain, as sparkling as the stars across the Texas skies. This simple, crisp concoction is a Lone Star original. Made from a less than a handful of ingredients, it’s perfect for sipping on a sunny afternoon.

Its origins are a bit murky. Most give credit to a rancher in West Texas for this delightful drink. And some say it’s a handful of cowboys who were looking for an easy sip to assist in cooling off under the Texas sun.

This clever cocktail started showing up in the general population sometime in the 70s. The ingredients include a Blanco tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice and sparkling mineral water.

And it’s a great drink for entertaining, mere minutes to stir up. Just grab yourself a tall glass, fill it with ice followed by the tequila and lime juice. Then top with sparkling mineral water for a bubbly touch.

Add a squeeze of lime, give it a stir and you’re good to go!

And if you’d like to soften the edges a bit – as I often do – you can add just a touch of the South’s nectar, simple syrup. Texans have such great ideas!

Ranch Water

3 tablespoons Blanco tequila, 1-½ ounces

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, ½ ounce

Sparkling mineral water, preferably Topo Chico, chilled

Lime wedge

Optional, simple syrup to taste

Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in the tequila followed by the lime juice.

Add an additional squeeze from the lime wedge before tossing it in the glass and top with the sparkling mineral water.

Pour in a bit of syrup if you’d like and give everything a stir to combine.

Makes 1 cocktail.

A couple of notes. We used La Pulga Blanco Tequila for its pure agave notes, along with a backdrop of citrus, anise and honey plus floral tones. For the sparkling mineral water, Topo Chico is hard to beat. https://amzn.to/3zyVofc

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