This easy recipe for a strawberry basil margarita puts some fun summer flavors into your favorite cocktail. Grab your cocktail shaker, find something to celebrate and say cheers!
I am always happy to have a strawberry basil margarita any day of the week, but never more than today. Today marks an enormous change for me and my family, as I move from my wonderful day job where I have been for the last 27 years, to working full time on the incredible adventure that is all things Framed Cooks. So please indulge me as I go down memory lane for a little while, look ahead to the future for a little while, and at the end of this post, I promise there is a recipe for my new favorite summer cocktail.
Ready for some memories and a strawberry basil margarita to go along with them? Let’s make it!
So almost exactly 27 years ago, I began my first day at HarperCollins Children’s Books. I was a whippersnapper who didn’t know a thing about editing picture books, but I was so excited and eager to learn, and little did I know that it was a the beginning of almost three decades of the best job in the world.
Along the way I got to have lunch with the likes of Neil Gaiman and Garth Williams, and dinner with Julie Andrews and Lemony Snicket.
Maurice Sendak would give me fresh eggs from his chickens when I visited him at his beautiful Connecticut home, and Shel Silverstein would show me drawing after drawing for his poetry book FALLING UP and ask which one I liked best (they were all perfect, by the way).
I got to work with my good pal Ree Drummond on her wonderful picture books and spend the day with her waving at her from behind the tv cameras while she did all her fun publicity.
And I got to hear Kevin Henkes come in with his new picture books and read them aloud to us while he showed us the brand new art for each one.
I also got the chance to work on some glorious books by so many brilliant authors and artists, including Stan and Jan Berenstain, Walter Dean Myers, Laura Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, Emeril Lagasse and my wonderful Aliki, just to name a few.
There were even totally official meetings that featured dogs. I KNOW.
And during my years as editor-in-chief of this amazing children’s publishing group, I had the great good luck to be part of everything from Veronica Roth’s heart pounding DIVERGENT series to Lauren Oliver’s brilliant BEFORE I FALL, Angie Thomas’s groundbreaking THE HATE U GIVE to Sharon Creech’s perfect book WALK TWO MOONS.
I helped take care of the Narnia and Little House books and all of Beverly Cleary’s books, as well as my own childhood favorites, GOODNIGHT MOON and CHARLOTTE’S WEB.
And most dear to my heart, I came in every day to the most talented, passionate, funny, determined group of editors, designers, marketers, sales people and production staff that you could imagine. Not seeing those faces every day is the single hardest thing about deciding to say goodbye.
So why on earth am I doing this? Well, because 9 years ago I started this little blog. It was supposed to be a two week photography assignment (that’s where the “Framed” part comes in)…check out my original header!
And somehow it morphed into a recipe website (so I had to add “Cooks” to the title.)..still with the header that, um, had not so much to do with cooking. I had a lot to learn!
Tens, and then hundreds, and then THOUSANDS of you, my wonderful readers, started to come to the site. With the help of my amazing team at WordPress Barista I worked on it until it turned into a legit recipe website. And I have found such joy in writing my recipes and taking their pictures and writing posts about them and reading your comments and answering your emails and whew!
As it turned out, the only downside was that it got to the point where there literally were not enough hours a day to do my Harper thing and do my Framed Cooks thing.
And so, with a bittersweet lump in my throat, I chose the Framed Cooks thing. And you know what? My years and years of being around such amazingly creative writers and artists and designers and editors is what gave me the experience and the courage to make this leap.
So starting now, this is my new day job, where there will definitely be meetings that have dogs in them.
This website will look the same (except I will be adding lots more video!) but I’ll be able to spend so much more time writing and testing recipes, taking their pictures, doing all the behind the scenes stuff that believe me, you don’t want to know about, and most importantly, being in touch with you guys.
Please, please, comment on my posts, find me on Facebook and Pinterest – I am going to need all of your love and support. Because, GULP. I’m DOING this thing.
So have a strawberry basil margarita with me, and clink glasses to my incredible family at HarperCollins.
Here we go!
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Strawberry Basil Margarita
Yield: 1
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 3 ripe strawberries, stems trimmed and cut in quarters
- 2 sprigs basil
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup (see note below)
- Ice
Instructions
- Put strawberries, 1 sprig of basil, the lime juice and the simple syrup in a cocktail shaker or a jar with a large opening. Muddle (this means smoosh) the strawberries and the basil until they are broken up well. If you don’t have an official muddler, the back of a fork will do just fine.
- Add the tequila and some ice, put the lid on the shaker or your jar and shake shake shake. Shake one more time for good luck.
- Pour the contents into your favorite glass, garnish with that other basil sprig and say cheers!
Notes
If you don’t already know how to make simple syrup (it’s really simple! Ha!) click this link for my friend Ree’s super simple recipe.
Get it, girl! I’ve been following you for 5 years now and I love your simple and delicious recipes! I’m happy for you! You deserve this!
Oh Cathy, thank you so much – both for this encouraging comment, and even more for the 5 years you’ve been reading my posts. It means so much to me! xo and happy weekend!!
You can do this! I have been coming here almost every day for about six years and love the recipes and stories!
Patty! Six years – thank you SO much! It’s because of great readers like you that I’m brave enough to take this big step – I’m so grateful! Happy Friday. 🙂
Congratulations on taking this leap, Kate! Your esteemed career at HarperCollins and contributions to children’s literature inspires me as I begin my career as a children’s book author (and am blessed to have found a home with HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen books for my debut picture book, One Hug, forthcoming next year!). l’ve been enjoying your recipes and I look forward to following your new journey. Wishing you all the best!
Katrina, thank you so much! I’m excited for your book, and will be cheering for you from my kitchen! 🙂
I miss you already!
Miss you too, bestie! ❤️
Congrats on this new chapter in your life! I love your recipes & look forward to even more.
Thank you Martha! I love seeing your comments come in – thank you for all your support – it means so much to me. Happy Friday!
Love you Kate! I was one of those early, early, early followers and I admit I didn’t really understand the whole diving board/swimsuit thing, but I knew I loved your recipes! It was an honor to finally meet you in person last year and get a tour of Harper Collins before you hung up your hat. I’m excited to see where your new career takes you and will continue to cheer for you from the sidelines. Speaking of that CHEERS!!!! (also, totally making these margaritas for the 4th holiday!)
Lisa! Love you too my friend, and meeting you in person was AMAZING. I can’t tell how much it means to me that you have been one of my long-time readers, and I am so looking forward to being both “real life” and blogging friends – I already know I am going to learn so much from watching the amazing things you do. Happy Friday, Happy 4th, cheers back and xoxoxoxox!
Cheers, Kate. You are amazing!!!! So xcited to see more here and issuing you already at HC….
Liza, thank you for everything over the years, and especially being such a great supporter of my website – it means so much to me! 🙂
Brilliant! Can’t wait to see what else emerges from/with you! xxxx
★★★★★
Sweet Sharon! I think you were one of my first 10 readers! Love you and thank you. <3
Hooray, Kate! A nice walk down memory lane. It’s very weird and surreal to walk by your empty office.
★★★★★
Linda! I’m there in spirit, and in that bottle of bacon soda I left in the middle of my desk. 🙂 xo
I’ve loved your website, recipes and writing for years!! Congratulations!
★★★★★
Dawn, thank you so much! I am so grateful for readers like you who have been with me since the early days! 🙂
What an amazing career! I have so many children’s books in my head and have never pulled the trigger. I’m so envious of all of the authors you’ve met over the years. Blogging full time is a joyous, interesting, delicious, flexible, frustrating, time-consuming and (can be) lucrative full time job. You are so good at it, and I know you’ll tackle this head-first. Good luck!!
Lori, you have been so wonderful to me over the years – your website has been such an inspiration, and you were one of the first bloggers to reach out with your amazing support. I’ll never forget that, and I’m looking forward to staying in even closer touch going forward! Meantime, if you ever want to talk children’s books, you know where to find me! xoxoxo
Congratulations, Kate! May all the knowledge, friendship and success gained in your first career guide you as you embark on your second career!
★★★★★
Patty! Thank you so much – I’m excited! Happy weekend. 🙂
Oh my goodness. I’ve followed your blog for years and want to support you any way that I can. How exciting (and bittersweet!) Congratulations on an amazing career and I can’t wait to see even more great recipes! (I will say, working from home is THE BEST!!!)
Karen! I know, I think the only one who is more excited than me about my new working from home situation is the dog! 🙂 Thank you for following my blog for all this time, and especially for this lovely comment. It means a lot to me!
I’ve been following you for many years, Kate, and I am excited for you as you move forward. I actually feel like I know you (and your dog, the Southern husband, your daughter) and sometimes I have to remind myself that we have never met. I’m about to go make a strawberry margarita (or two). I’ll be sure to raise my glass to you. Cheers!
Nancy, thank you so much for this! Hearing from readers like you is the absolute best part of this whole cooking adventure I’ve been on…I’m so grateful for your support, and love that you were kind enough to send me this sweet comment. Cheers and happy weekend! xo
Hurray for a new adventure! I’ve enjoyed your blog and recipes for years and am looking forward to more great stories and tasty treats! How wonderful for you to get to “work” full-time on something you built and love! Best of luck to you, Kate!
Teresa, I am SO grateful for all your support over the years – every time one of your comments come in it just makes me smile. THANK YOU and xoxo!
Kate, I am so very grateful that our paths crossed when I worked for Mary Engelbreit. I was a lowly marketing coordinator without an ounce of artistic ability but endless appreciation for the craft. I learned so much from you and your incredible team about the true art of creating quality picture books, and the utmost professionalism with which you all approached your relationships.
Now with four little ones of my own, thanks to that time with the the Harper and ME teams, I look forward to every trip to the library to see what magical creation we will discover next! Honest to goodness, I think I can spot the quality of a Harper picture book a mile away!
Sharing a good book and a good meal with our children are two of life’s most precious gifts, and it’s amazing to think how many millions of people your work helps to make those moments possible. Thank you for sharing your beautiful, delicious gifts with us!
I could gush further, but my word count for a message to an editor is already far too long! Best wishes in your new journey!
Beth! Oh my gosh! I am so glad to hear from you, and this message just warmed my heart so much. 🙂 And I so agree with you about the magic of reading and cooking together – it’s just the best thing. xoxo!