Gather friends and loved ones and celebrate the day with one or more of these tasty mixed drinks and dishes.

By Cari Jorgensen

Tequila should be enjoyed, especially on National Tequila Day. A great way to do so is to invite friends over, have a cigar, then mix up the spirit into one of these cocktails and pair it with the perfect dish, courtesy of Tequila Avión.

Option 1: Elevated Margarita
2 parts Avión Silver or Reposado
1 part Fresh Lime Juice
½ part Agave Nectar

Combine ingredients in shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Pair the Elevated Margarita with fish tacos.

Option 2: Mile High
2 oz. Tequila Avión Silver
1 oz. Pineapple juice
1/2 oz. Agave nectar
1/2 oz. Fresh lime juice
2 Jalapeños wheels
Pineapple wedge or lime wheel for garnish

Lightly muddle jalapeño wheels and agave nectar in a shaker. Add the remaining ingredients, fill with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a large rocks glass that has been rimmed with a mixture of chili powder and salt. Garnish with a lime wheel or pineapple wedge.

Pair the Mile High with chipotle pork ribs.

Option 3: Spicy Sage Margarita (Created by Mixologist Justin Dano of Pounds and Ounces in New York City)
2 oz. Avión Silver
3/4 oz. Jalapeño-Infused Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 oz. Orange Juice
1/4 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
3 Sage Leaves
1 Sage Leaf and Salt for garnish

Muddle sage in a shaker. Add all ingredients. Shake. Double strain. Pour over ice in salt-rimmed glass. Garnish with sage leaf.

Pair the Spicy Sage Margarita with chicken enchiladas.

Option 4: Papaya Smash
Slice of Fresh Papaya
1/4 oz. Agave Nectar
1 1/4 oz. Avión Añejo
1/2 oz. Aperol
1/2 oz. Orange Juice
3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish with Fresh Papaya

Add a slice of fresh papaya and agave nectar to your mixing glass. The amount of nectar you add depends on how sweet you like your cocktails, but usually about a teaspoon will do the trick. Muddle to release the papaya flavor. Add 1 1/4 ounces of Avión Añejo, 1/2 ounce each of Aperol and orange juice. Then, top them off with 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice. Add ice and give it a good shake. Strain over ice, and garnish with a fresh slice of papaya.

Pair the Papaya Smash with grilled shrimp, scallops or crab.

Option 5: The Endless Summer
2 oz. Avión Reposado
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Soda water finish

Combine tequila and pineapple juice over ice in a tall glass and stir until chilled. Add a splash of soda and garnish with a lime wheel.

Pair The Endless Summer with Rellena-Adobo marinated roasted chicken.

Option 6: Avión Paloma
2 oz. Tequila Avión Silver
1 oz. Grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. Fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. Simple syrup
Splash of club soda
Grapefruit slice for garnish

Build ingredients over ice in a Collins glass and stir to chill. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Pair the Avión Paloma with shrimp ceviche or scallop ceviche.

Option 7: Avión Watermelon Cocktail
2 parts Avión Silver or Reposado
1 part Fresh Lime Juice
4 One-Inch Cubes Fresh Watermelon
Squeeze Agave Nectar

Muddle watermelon with agave nectar in a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients, and shake vigorously with ice. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish as desired.

Pair the Avión Watermelon Cocktail with chicken and cucumber salad.

Option 8: Avión Kiwi Margarita
2 oz. Avión Añejo
Handful of Fresh Kiwi
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 oz. Cointreau
Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish with Kiwi Wheel

Muddle a handful of fresh kiwi in a pint glass to bring out the juices and flavor. Add one teaspoon brown sugar, a dash of Cointreau and fresh lime. Then, finish it off with 2 ounces of Avión Añejo. Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a kiwi wheel.

Pair the Avión Kiwi Margarita with coconut shrimp.

Option 9: Caliente Viejo
2 oz. Avión Añejo
¾ oz. Hot Pepper Infused Agave Nectar
3 Dashes of Orange Bitters
Garnish with Orange Twist

Start by adding 2 full ounces of Avión Añejo, and ¾ ounce of hot pepper infused agave nectar syrup to a mixing glass filled with ice. Finish it off with a dash of orange bitters. Gently stir the cocktail. You don’t want to break up the spirit or add any chipped ice to it. Strain your cocktail into a glass filled with ice. Finish it off with an orange twist.

Pair the Caliente Viejo with skirt steak fajitas.

Option 10: Bitter but True
1/2 oz. Tequila Avión Reposado
3/4 oz. Lime
3/4 oz. Agave syrup
1/2 oz. Campari
5-7 Mint leaves
3 drops of vanilla essence
Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish

Combine all ingredients in an ice filled shaker, shake vigorously until chilled. Double strain over ice in a double rocks or double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.

Pair the Bitter but True with carne asada with grilled veggies and corn tortillas.

Which tequila cocktail and food pairing will you try on National Tequila Day?