Margarita-grams make memories
Restaurants deliver messages, offer ways to celebrate occasions
That first legal drink. It’s a weird rite of passage, isn’t it? I remember mine. It was at a relatively cheesy Long Island nightclub called Chevy’s. I hadn’t made any plans and when my friend, Grace, realized it was my 21st birthday, she insisted we go. It was a great night. And now, it’s a great memory.
UCF nursing student Meghan Amundson didn’t get to have quite the same experience.
Like the teens who’ve missed prom, the young men and women denied their chance to walk a stage for a diploma and the legions who’ve had to alter plans for birthdays, anniversaries, bucket-list trips and more, COVID-19 restrictions have altered the ways in which we’ve celebrated.
But she still got carded for her first adult beverage, thanks to the efforts of her aunt, Kim Amellin, and the folks at Black Rooster Taqueria, who delivered to her door a Margarita-gram with which she could toast her special day.
“I was so surprised!” said Amundson about the Margarita-gram. “You know the usual thing is that you go out, you can finally order drinks — but instead I got to have the drinks brought to me!”
Black Rooster Taqueria co-owner Juliana Calloway says the idea came to her in the middle of the night.
“Instead of candygrams, like my son does at school, what if since everyone’s at home and unable to get out and see one another, we did Margarita-grams that people could send to one another, cheer them up or say hello — and it just kind of spiraled from there,” she said.
Indeed. Last week, Calloway and her staff prepped 175 of them — no easy task, since all the lime juice is fresh-squeezed, “but it’s been a nice way to be able to keep our staff on and working since all we’re doing right now is takeout and delivery.”
It’s also been nice for the customers — like the people from Germany who wanted to celebrate the Zoom wedding of an Orlando
local couple and sent them a batch to say congrats, or the countless birthdays Calloway and staff have been able to make a little sweeter with their agave wine-fueled version of the classic cocktail.
Margaritas make things sparkly, to be sure, but glitter lattes do it figuratively and literally.
“It all started as a joke around April Fool’s Day last year,” says Chelsie Savage, chef/owner of Proper & Wild and the Sanctum Cafe. “Every month we do a special beverage and last year joked because the edible glitter was so trendy, but because you know glitter goes everywhere — we would do that — because who would want one of those?”
Except that they did. “We launched the glitter latte as our drink for April — and created a campaign where people would buy a coffee for their friend and we’d deliver it. It has become a nice hug you can give someone.”
The drink of the month has changed now that it’s May, but the glittery beverage’s popularity hasn’t waned. What’s more, the glitter can be added to any of the beverages from any of Savage’s restaurants — Orlando, Winter Park or Altamonte Springs — for free. The drinks average between $4 and $5.50.
There’s no minimum for delivery, but there is a $6 delivery fee. For a few dollars more, they will deliver outside the 3-mile zone.
“People can order online and enter their address to see if they’re in the zone,” says Savage.
What else is available for delivery in Orlando? Smiles. Literally.
Lauren March has been building her business, LoLo’s Cookie Co., from her Maitland home for about a year and has a hit on her hands with her Cookiegrams, which began as a thank-you to her husband and his co-workers.
“He is in the healthcare field and works downtown at ORMC,” March explains. “And in the middle of March when the coronavirus pandemic was really breaking down here, he was overwhelmed.”
March made five dozen smiley-face cookies for him to bring to work to distribute amongst the departments. “It was the only thing I could really think to do to show how grateful I was, not only to him but to everyone in the healthcare field.”
She thought it would translate to the folks stuck at home, wishing they had a special way to let loved ones know they were thinking of them.
“This is a way to send smiles their way,” she says.
There have been myriad reasons people send the Cookiegrams ($10, six cookies, delivery included) — birthdays, graduations, miss yous. March will deliver within “about a 20-minute radius of my Maitland home,” but will travel farther for a $5 upcharge. You can direct message her through her Instagram (instagram.com/ loloscookieco/) to place an order or ask questions.
While there, you might spy her adorable DIY cookie kits ($25 for pickup, $30 for local delivery) — a beautiful way to spend a little fun, creative time with antsy kids missing out on sports, playdates or school activities. The boxes come in several varieties from rainbows, hearts and mermaid tails to dinosaurs to space themes.
Black Rooster Taqueria will continue to do fourserving Margarita-grams ($27, delivery included) for the foreseeable future, says Calloway, who delivers within five miles of the restaurant and will go 10 for a $5 fee. A good thing for Amundson, who is now old enough to order and gift “Aunt Kimmy” with the same treat.
“She definitely had the ‘cool aunt’ card before,” Amundson said, noting how grateful she was for the special delivery. “But now she’s totally leveledup!” Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@ orlandosentinel.com. Want more foodie news? Sign up for the Food & Drink newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/ newsletters.