Credited to Philadelphia bartender Colin Shearn of Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., the Restraining Order is based on the mellow, vegetal character of reposado tequila. Shearn complements the tequila with a dose of Aperol, a bright, low-alcohol aperitif liqueur with a potent, complex flavor dominated by bitter oranges and rhubarb. Accented with several dashes of celery bitters and a big squeeze of orange peel atop the finished cocktail, the drink has a powerful pop of herbaceous flavor and a delicate, nuanced balance. More

The Oaxaca Old Fashioned takes one of the greatest drinks in the mixological canon and gives it a south-of-the-border spin with reposado tequila and mezcal. Rich, smoky and spicy, this is an exceptional adaptation of a venerable classic. More

What could be better than chocolate, tequila and ice cream on a hot August afternoon? So why not put them all together in one amazing ice cream concoction? Funny you should ask, because that's exactly what we did. More

This recipe uses the International Bartenders Association's ratios of tequila, cointreau, and citrus juice, which makes a pretty strong margarita. Feel free to add extra syrup or to water it down some to suit your own tastes. More

While tequila can sometimes be a polarizing, I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't enjoy a glass of Champagne. In Fiesta at Rick's, Rick Bayless makes one of the most light and lovely apertifs I've had in a long time. Mixing up a batch of these at home brought to mind the easy drinking qualities of a mimosa as well as the bracingly limey refreshment of a margarita. More

The Tex-Mex Grill and Backyard Barbacoa Cookbook has no shortage of Texas-style cocktails, but these Watermelon Margaritas seemed refreshing enough to cool us down, even when the AC wasn't doing the trick. Instead of throwing all of the ingredients into the blender, Robb Walsh uses the watermelon in two ways. First the melon is cut into cubes and gently juiced through a colander to make smooth, entirely seedless, and virtually pulpless juice. Then the watermelon cubes are transferred to the freezer to cool and be used instead of ice cubes. More

When local strawberries are at their peak, one of my favorite drinks to make is a simple preparation called Tequila por mi Amante. It's not something you put together to enjoy tonight—rather, it's an infusion that takes a few minutes of work and a few weeks of waiting, but the payoff is definitely worthwhile. Combining the bright, aromatic sweetness of strawberries with the peppery earthiness of tequila, Tequila por mi Amante tastes like joyous summer. More

Here's a drink that combines three of the perfect ingredient matches: the Sangre de Agave. Created by drinks writer David Wondrich and appearing in his 2005 book Killer Cocktails, the Sangre de Agave matches not only lime with both rum and tequila, but also matches tequila with the blackcurrant liqueur, crème de cassis - an ingredient that, as Wondrich notes, has almost as much affinity for tequila as the agave spirit has for triple sec. More

Developed by German bartender and drinks writer Bastian Heuser, the Agavoni replaces the Negroni's gin with the bright spark of a silver tequila. Accenting the Campari's citrus notes with a couple of dashes of orange bitters, the Agavoni breathes new life into the venerable classic. To me, it simply tastes like spring. Even if you have to turn up the heat and put on a sweater to ward off the arctic chill while retrieving the ingredients from the liquor cabinet, mix an Agavoni this weekend and reassure your palate that sunny days are indeed ahead. More

Pairing the agave spirit with its old friend, fresh lime juice, the Prado substitutes the margarita's orangey triple sec for a dose of aromatic maraschino liqueur, with the white of half an egg added for extra body (since accurately dividing an egg white can be a pain, you can go ahead and mix two drinks and share one with a friend). More