The Humble Margarita

The margarita has quietly and steadily become an international phenomenon, and according to Gourmet magazine, it is the now the most popular cocktail in the United States.

Born and raised in Mexico, the margarita’s personality reflects the flavor of its native land. Its fate has also been inextricably bound with tequila, a spirit that until recently was known as a coarse and fiery spirit that needed to be combined with fruit juice and sugar in order to be palatable. Tequila has become respectable — and not just in the sunny states that border Mexico, but all over the world.

One reason for the margarita’s ascent to stardom is that it is an exceptionally versatile cocktail. It lends itself to several methods of preparation, and variations in fruit flavorings. It blends easily with liqueurs, and marries well with the taste of different type of ingredients.

History: Fact or folklore?

In 1948 Margarita Sames created this drink in Acapulco, Mexico using her two favorite spirits; Cointreau and tequila. Legend says her husband gave the drink its name by presenting his wife with glassware etched with ” Margarita”.

Another popular myth states that restaurant owner Danny Herrera, of the Rancho La Gloria near Tijuana, Mexico, mixed and named this cocktail specially for American actress Marjorie King, since she was allergic to every spirit except tequila. Margarita is Spanish for Marjorie.

There are variations, both regarding its origins and the proportions. However, the manufacturers of Cointreau designated 1998 as the official 50th anniversary of the invention of the Margarita.

Keys to a magnificent Margarita

Tequila, a product made from Mexico’s blue agave plant, is the centerpiece of this cocktail. The truest to the blue agave flavor is the silver, un-aged tequila which we recommend for all margaritas, not because of its lower cost, but for its robust and vibrant character. Silver tequilas are exuberant and add a vitality to the margarita that the more reserved, aged tequilas don’t quite manage.

When preparing a premium margarita, Cointreau is the consensus choice as an orange liqueur. The advantage using Cointreau in a premium margarita is that the liqueur will augment the cocktail’s bouquet and taste profile, but won’t alter its natural color.

For margarita aficionados, several other liqueurs have risen above and beyond the call to duty. Proven margarita performers include the French black raspberry liqueur, Chambord; the Japanese honeydew liqueur, Midori; the Italian almond liqueur, Disaronno Amaretto; and Damiana, a Mexican liqueur made from the damiana plant. Another often relied upon cordial is blue Curaçao, an orange-flavored liqueur slightly sweeter than triple sec and beloved for its luminous blue color.

In “The Original Guide To Margaritas and Tequila,” author Robert Plotkin suggests two additions to a Margarita:

1. A splash of orange juice and
2. 1/2 oz Rose’s sweetened lime juice.

When mixing at home, orange juice is the perfect fix for the sometimes too-tart Margarita and the sweetened lime juice adds another dimension of citrus fruit flavor.

Ways to enjoy a Margarita

Straight Up: Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake 20-30 times then strain into chilled martini or margarita glass. Garnish with lime wheel.

On The Rocks: Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker and strain into martini or margarita glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Frozen: Unless instructed, combine ingredients in blender with 1 cup of ice. Pour into glass and serve with lime wedge.

Frozen Fruit Margaritas

Armed with a dedicated margarita machine or an electric blender, you can puree any fresh fruit to enhance the flavor of your margaritas. Prickly pear marmalade, canned Bartlett pears, applesauce, blueberries, prickly pear juice, mangoes, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, bananas and pomegranates are just a few of the ingredients you can use. The secret, when possible, is to use fresh fruit and a liqueur to match the fruit. For example, raspberries with raspberry liqueur, or bananas and banana liqueur.

To salt or not to salt

Many people find that a salt rim enhances the flavor of the Margarita.

To salt glasses, rub the rim of the glass with lime or lemon then gently dip into saucer laced with kosher or fine sea salt. Remember to salt the rim before it is filled with ice or ingredients.