After all the "Margarita Day" hype, I must do my duty and present this fun & delicious offering.Bartenders are a creative lot, so the idea of taking classic drinks and adding fizz – without watering down the base ingredients by way of club soda or sparkling wine – has been a trend on an international level. While bartending in Santa Fe, in 2012, we put a Carbonated Margarita on the specialty drink menu. Although the craze had already hit places like Seattle (where I interviewed Jim Romdall in 2008 about his bubbly creations), it was a mini mind-explosion for the people visiting our bar in New Mexico. And, although slightly overshadowed by the barrel-aging cocktail trend, the CO2 bubble is not likely to burst anytime soon.Last week, I served the Carbonated June Margarita at Arizona Cocktail Week's Cocktail Carnival and it was a hit with guests. I used the newest model Soda Stream machine, however, which fizzed over and the liquid exploded out of the container when opened, if not allowed to settle long enough. This is not the machine’s fault – it clearly specifies to only use water in it. However, given that we regularly cranked out batches of carbonated margarita from our Soda Stream machine at the bar in Santa Fe, I assumed it would be smooth sailing.The conclusion I’ve come to is that carbonated margaritas should be made in small amounts in a regular consumer apparatus, as the sugar and citrus make the liquid fizz up a lot. This may not be the best solution for a public bar batching large quantities but it is perfectly fine for people wanting to try this at home. Cheers! Carbonated June Margarita (makes 2)

3 oz Excellia tequila reposado
2 oz June liqueur
1.5 oz fresh lime juice
Garnish: Candied Edible Flower (from Dress the Drink)
Pour all ingredients into the Soda Stream machine. Follow directions to carbonate. Gently pour into ice-filled glasses. Lay a beautiful edible flower on the surface of the drink.