One of the things that happens when you’re a food writer is that when even a marginal holiday rolls around, your mailbox fills up with recipes from companies that want you to promote their products.

Around May 5, the recipes invariably include either avocados or tequila.

These are fun to look at, but usually I just ignore them. I’d rather get ideas from local chefs and bartenders.

This year, however, the folks from the industry group “Avocados from Mexico” sent a margarita recipe that I couldn’t resist trying. It contains both avocados and tequila.

I love avocado, but I have to admit the idea of drinking it um, let’s just say it wasn’t the most appetizing notion.

Feeling adventurous, I got out the blender and gave it a whirl.

The result was a margarita that tasted something like melted lime sherbet. The avocado flavor was subtle, and actually helped to cut the sweetness of the margarita mix and the Cointreau I used, as well as the acidity of the lime.

I liked the flavor, and while it was a little thick, it wasn’t too thick. Still, I couldn’t shed the thought that I was drinking avocado. It didn’t ruin the drink for me, but I probably wouldn’t make this a regular part of my repertoire.

As a novelty drink for a Cinco de Mayo party, though?

Muy bueno.

MEXICAN AVOCADO MARGARITA

Yield: 6 drinks (about 5 cups)

1 fully ripened avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped

2/3 cup sweet-and-sour margarita mix

1/2 cup tequila

1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur (such as Triple Sec or Cointreau)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

In a blender, combine avocado, margarita mix, tequila, liqueur and lime juice; cover and process until smooth. Add three cups of ice; whirl until almost smooth; do not over-blend. Serve in glasses rimmed with salt or chili-lime salt if desired. Garnish with thin slices of avocado.

TEQUILA TRIVIA

• TEQUILA has been one of the fastest-growing spirits categories during the last decade. Since 2002, U.S. imports of tequila have grown 67 percent, an average rate of 5.8 percent per year.

Source: Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

• TEQUILA TERMINOLOGY 101:

Blanco – Aged under two months, this style of tequila is the purest, and imparts the natural flavors of the blue agave plant.

Reposado – Aged two months to a year, this tequila meshes the mellowing traits of wood with the herbal qualities of the blue agave juice.

Anejo – Aged over one year, Anejo tequilas possess vanilla flavors of the oak in which they’re aged.

Source: Distilled Spirits Council of the United States