Simple Perfection
Do you remember the best Margarita you ever tasted? Did you sip it on vacation in a warm, tropical location? Did you have it at your favorite Mexican restaurant with your amore or favorite peeps? Was it on the rocks, blended, with a salted rim or without? If you’ve ever wondered how to make a delicious, Perfect Margarita at home, this is your full-proof, easy recipe for the most delicious Margarita you can make, or for that matter, even buy.
The plain truth is that it’s just super simple and fresh. Don’t spend any more time or money looking for a mix or wondering if your tequila is good enough. Here’s the secret to The Perfect Margarita and it’s easily made right in our own home. Margarita mixes are filled with a bunch of strange-sounding, mostly manufactured ingredients that leave a sort of chemical taste. You know, like when you’re at a super busy restaurant or bar and they squirt the pre-made mixture into the glass. It’s just not very good.
My search for the perfect Margarita ended when my niece Alex shared her recipe with me. She’s quite the gal with the cocktail flair! She can be found with a margarita in hand, frequently too.
About The Margarita
Like so many other popular drinks, there there are as many versions of just who first conjured the cocktail as there are of the actual drink. One thing that’s likely to be true, is that this drink isn’t from Mexico at all. Tequila gives the margarita its Mexican flair, but doubt has been expressed over whether it would be likely for such a cocktail to emerge out of Mexico in the ’30s or ’40s. Imbibe Magazine writes, “It’s difficult to believe that a Mexican invented this drink although it is completely possible that it was invented on Mexican soil. This is because Mexico has never had a cocktail culture, and to this day margaritas are never consumed by the locals.” (I think they don’t know what they are missing!)
Inspirations and Legends
Carlos “Danny” Herrera, the owner of Tijuana restaurant Rancho La Gloria, claims he invented the drink in 1938. Inspired by Marjorie King, a former Ziegfield dancer who declared she was allergic to all spirits except tequila. So Herrera worked around the prototypical tequila shot (which is taken with salt and lime) and threw together the margarita. While all bartenders can relate to the situation of an annoying customer, it was Herrera who claims to have whipped up the instant classic – or so says his obituary. Since he lived until 90, you might make the argument that tequila is actually a healthy choice!
A Dallas socialite named Margarita Sames insisted that she created the drink for a group of her friends while vacationing in Acapulco in 1948. Her buddy and from the famous hotel family, Tommy Hilton, put the cocktail on the bar menu at the Hilton hotel chain. Jose Cuervo had already been running an ad campaign pushing the drink, stating: “Margarita: It’s more than a girl’s name.” So, for the record, Jose Cuervo gets my vote.
Tequila Tasting
A Margarita is a mixed cocktail. No need to use over the top or expensive tequila in a margarita, those are reserved for sipping straight. Make yours with tequila silver, it’s clear and unaged. I learned a little bit about tequila not long ago when I participated in a tequila tasting. Tequila gets the flavor from not just the ingredients, but the way it is (or isn’t) aged. Here’s a link to more about the types of tequila. Plus, a recipe for one of my other favorite tequila cocktails, the Paloma. https://wp.me/p9KEfL-1DG
From my experience, the best is silver or unaged tequila in a margarita. There are plenty of them and you don’t have to break the bank for a tasty bottle of silver tequila.
The Margarita Cocktail
The perfect, hand-shaken Margarita.
Use a rocks glass. If you can, make some large square our round cubes in advance. Here’s a link for easy to make ice cubes in silicone molds.
To prepare the glass, lightly top the rim with fresh lime, then roll the rim into kosher or cocktail salt. Add a large single cube to the glass. Set the glass aside while you prepare the Margarita Cocktail.
Into a cocktail shaker, filled halfway with ice, add 2 ounces of tequila, 3/4 ounce of either Grand Marnier or Cointreau. You can use Triple Sec, but I find the taste better with the others. Next, add 1/4 ounce of agave or simple syrup. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the shaker, that’s about 1 ounce. Shake vigorously, at least 20 seconds. Pour the cocktail into your glass, careful to not splash onto the salted rim. Pour the liquid to fill just under the top of the giant ice-cube.
The Garnish Game
Garnish traditionally with a lime wedge, but to modernize your Perfect Margarita Cocktail, try a few twists on the typical.
When you use a giant square ice cube, put the garnish right on top of the cube. I like to use just the slightest bit of lime zest. Use a rasp and very gently skin just a bit of the darkest green of the lime peel. Dust it lightly on top of the cube.
Try adding a tiny spoonful of finger limes, also known as “lime caviar”. Not only does it look really cool, but it tastes great too. The “caviar” will fall into the drink and you’re left with a very tart and tangy tequila bite at the end of your cocktail. Fabulous!
A word of warning, this Margarita is so good, you’re going to want more than one! Cheers Amigas!
Margarita Cocktail - The Perfect Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- 1/4 ounce agave syrup or simple syrup*
- 3/4 ounce Grand Marnier or Cointreau
- juice of 1 fresh lime (about 1 ounce)
Garnish:
- Kosher salt for rim of glass
- 1 Lime Wheel or 1/2 a Finger Lime
- Very fine zest of lime, about 1/16 teaspoon
Equipment
- Rocks Glass
- Cocktail Shaker
- Giant Ice Cube Mold
Instructions
For the cocktail glass
- Use a rocks glass
- Lightly top the rim with fresh lime, then roll the rim into kosher or cocktail salt.
- Add a large single cube to the glass.
- Set the glass aside while you prepare the Margarita Cocktail.
For the Margarita
- Into a cocktail shaker, filled halfway with ice, add 2 ounces of tequila, 3/4 ounce of either Grand Marnier or Cointreau.
- Add 1/4 ounce of agave or simple syrup.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime into the shaker.
- Shake vigorously, at least 20 seconds.
- Pour the cocktail into your glass, careful to not splash onto the salted rim. Pour the liquid to fill just under the very top of the giant ice-cube.
Garnish:
- Using a small spoon, top the ice cube with about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh finger lime (caviar) and about 1/16 teaspoon of very finely grated lime zest
- Or, add a round of lime to the side of the glass.
