The Best Margarita Recipe Ever- How to Mix up the Perfect Cocktail

Where Did the Margarita Originate?

Margarita is a popular cocktail that uses tequila, lime juice, agave, and orange liqueur like Cointreau or triple sec as ingredients, and is usually served with salt on the glass rim. It's blended with ice, shaken with ice, or with no ice at all.

According to a Nielsen survey, the margarita is America's most popular cocktail, followed by daiquiri, pina colada, Long Island iced tea, and mojito. The survey found that 60% of Americans favored the margarita.

How did this popular cocktail originate? Well, there is no single origin story.

For instance, it is often said that the first margarita was made in 1938 by Carlos 'Denny' Herrara in his restaurant in Baja California. The drink was prepared for the former Ziegfeld dancer Majorie King, who was a customer at the restaurant. King was allergic to all hard liquor except tequila, so Herrara invented this unique drink for her.

Herrara's margarita recipe was a possible variation of the tequila daisy cocktail, which included tequila, lime, and a sweetener, and gained popularity in the post-Prohibition era in the US.

However, according to the Jose Cuervo company -- a prominent seller of tequila -- the margarita was invented in 1938 alright, but in honor of Rita de la Rosa, a Mexican showgirl.

Hussong's Cantina in Ensenada, Baja California also claims to have been margarita's birthplace. In 1941, Don Carlos Orozco, who was a bartender at Hussong's, is said to have created an experimental cocktail for the German ambassador's daughter Margarita Henkel, and the drink came to be named after her.

Yet another theory claims that the margarita was invented by Francisco 'Pancho' Morales in 1942 in Tommy's Bar, located in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez. According to this narrative, a woman ordered a drink that Morales had never heard of. Undaunted, he conjured a cocktail made of tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau. Thus, the margarita emerged, and this has been held by the official Mexican news agency Notimex to be the most credible story on the origins of the margarita.

Wait! There's one more- the margarita is also believed to have come into being at the famous Texan Balinese Club in 1948, when head bartender Santos Cruz made the drink for singer Margaret (Peggy) Lee. According to another account, it was created for dancer-actress Rita Hayworth, whose name, in reality, was Margarita Cansino.

And another. . . Acapulco bar owner Margaret Sames is also often credited with inventing the margarita in 1948 by mixing two parts tequila, with one part lime juice and one part Cointreau.

Ingredients for Your Classic Margarita

The classic margarita is characterized by its simplicity, with just three main ingredients -- tequila, tart lime juice, and orange liqueur -- that go into it. The ingredients are balanced perfectly. This margarita recipe is so simple, it can be easily mixed at a summer barbeque or impromptu dinner get-togethers. Here's what you need-

• 1 1/2 ounces of blanco tequila (also known as plato/silver tequila)
• 1 ounce of orange liqueur, such as Cointreau, triple sec, or Grand Marnier
• 1/2 ounce of lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• Large quantities of kosher or flake salt for the glass (don't use iodized salt)
• Ice cubes
• Lime wedges for garnishing

Instructions for Making Your Classic Margarita

1. To make the classic margarita, add some kosher salt to a small dish or a wide bowl. Generously rub a lime wedge around the glass rim. Dip the rim of the glass into the salt.
2. Put fresh ice into the glass and set it aside. If you like your margarita straight up, leave aside the ice.
3. Pour tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur into the cocktail shaker and shake it for 10 seconds. Strainit into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

5 Variations on the Classic Margarita

1. Tequila Daisy

Ingredients-

• 2 ounces of tequila
• 1/2 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce of Grand Marnier orange liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon of superfine sugar
• Chilled club soda (to top)

1. Stir the sugar and lemon juice together in a shaker.
2. Add the Grand Marnier orange liqueur, and tequila and fill the shaker with ice.
3. Shake till the contents are well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Top with club soda.

• 2 ounces of blanco tequila
• 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3/4 ounce of orange liqueur
• Salt and lime wheel for garnishing

1. Take a chilled margarita glass and salt the rim. Set aside.
2. Pour the tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur into a blender. Top with a cup of ice. Blend till the mixture turns frothy and smooth.
3. Transfer the contents into the salted margarita glass.
4. Use a lime wheel for garnishing.

• 1 wedge of lime
• 2 ounces of blanco tequila
• 2 deseeded jalapeno coins
• 1/2 ounce of orange liqueur
• 1/2 ounce of agave syrup
• 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
• Salt and jalapeno coin for garnishing

1. Rub a rocks glass rim with the wedge of lime. Dip the glass rim in salt. Set aside.
2. Throw the jalapeno coins into a shaker. Muddle gently.
3. Add the blanco tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and agave syrup. Add ice. Shake the contents well until chilled.
4. Strain over fresh ice into the prepared glass.
5. Use a jalapeno coin for garnishing.

• 2 ounces of blanco tequila
• 1/2 cup of hulled fresh strawberries
• 1/2 ounce of triple sec orange liqueur
• 1/2 ounce of agave nectar
• 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 whole fresh strawberry for garnishing

1. Add the tequila, strawberries, triple sec, agave nectar, and lime juice into a blender. Add ice. Blend the contents till you have a slushy, smooth texture.
2. Pour the contents into a cocktail or margarita glass.
3. Use a fresh strawberry for garnishing.

• 1 3/4 ounces of tequila
• 3/4 ounce of Cointreau
• 3/4 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 ounce of agave syrup
• 2 teaspoons of orange marmalade
• 1 orange slice for garnishing

1. Fill a shaker with ice. Add the tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, orange marmalade, and agave syrup over the ice. Shake until the contents are well-chilled.
2. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
3. Use an orange slice for garnishing.

What's the Alcohol Percentage of a Margarita?

In the US, a 'standard drink' contains about 14 g (or around 0.5 to 0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. This amount is found in 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits like tequila. A simple calculation (0.6/1.5 X 100) tells you that distilled spirits contain around 40% alcohol.

Therefore, in spirits terminology, the tequila in a margarita is 80-proof. Proof, in this regard, is defined by twice the ethanol content by volume. However, when you factor in the lime juice/mixer and water from the melted ice, the alcohol by volume (ABV) count of a margarita comes to 33%. Alcohol content of 33-40%, therefore, puts margaritas in sync with the 'standard drink' specification for beverages containing distilled spirits.

A typical margarita glass can hold 12 ounces of liquid. So if it is filled to the brim, the alcohol content will be around 4-5 ounces. However, only 3-4 ounces of this popular cocktail is usually served in Coupette glasses. It has an alcohol content of up to 1.6 ounces. Margaritas are, therefore, quite strong. It is certainly stronger than beer. In fact, two four-ounce pre-made margaritas can get you drunk in around an hour.

Margarita Serving Tips

To make the perfect margarita, you need to be meticulous about the ratio of the ingredients. The best ratio is three parts tequila, two parts orange liqueur, and one part lime juice.

Only a splash of sweetener will suffice, but you may vary the quantity according to your taste.
Margaritas are served chilled, so place the cocktail glasses in the freezer half an hour before using them. This way you will also get the salt to stick to the rim easily.

Chill the tequila too. This way you won't have to use much ice to keep your cocktail cool. All said and done, ice does matter, especially the size of the ice cubes. One-inch ice cubes are ideal for margaritas.

Choose ripe limes. The limes should have shiny skins and feel soft when squeezed, but should still be firm. A single lime must yield two to three tablespoons of juice. Roll the limes against the counter to loosen the juices up. They can also be microwaved for a few seconds to soften the pulp.

Squeeze the limes four to ten hours before use. This will reduce their acidity, while bringing out their zesty flavor.

Try out other citrus fruits apart from lime. Pineapple, grapefruit, key lime, and tangerine are some of the options. However, keep in mind that since these fruits have varying degrees of sweetness and sourness, the amount of orange liqueur and sweetener has to be suitably adjusted.

Prepare simple syrup at home by bringing equal parts of water and sugar to a boil, constantly stirring till the sugar dissolves. The syrup has to be cooled completely before use.

When using citrus juices, shake the mixture rather than stir it. This will ensure that the flavors gel better. Shaking the margarita also raises small bubbles that give the cocktail a nice frothy character.

Use moderate amounts of salt on the rim. Excess salt will affect the flavor of the ingredients. To avoid this, roll a lime wedge along the exterior of the glass and gently over the salt. You may choose to salt only half the glass.

Serve your margarita in a traditional margarita glass, whose broad body is designed to hold ice. But you can also substitute it with a vintage-inspired goblet or a stemless wine glass.

Conclusion

The ascent of the margarita to the rank of America's most preferred cocktail was swift. Every hour Americans drink 185,000 margaritas, according to a spirits company.

The margarita nails four out of the five flavors we can taste- sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Its sweetness is supplied by agave, salt is on the rim of the glass, the sourness comes from limes, and a bitter flavor from the tequila. Salt balances the bitterness of the tequila. The citric acid from the lime also moderates the bitterness. Taking margarita with salt, in fact, enhances its sweet and sour flavors.

The margarita pairs well with several foods, especially Tex Mex dishes. The coldness of the cocktail evens out spiciness, and its acidity complements fatty foods like cheese and meats. No wonder this cocktail is voted No. 1 in the United States.