How to make the
Perfect Margarita
The Margarita, one of the most versatile yet popular cocktails ever. No one knows the true origin of this refreshing drink, however they mostly all come from mixing tequila with other spirits and ingredients to make it more palatable. Part of the charm, each origin story has its own difference, but ea ch sharing the fact of the Margarita coming about in the late 1930s. Texas socialite Margarita Sames claimed she invented the drink at a party in Acapulco for her guests, one of whom was Tommy Hilton who supposedly put it behind the Hilton Hotels across the United States. Another story originating at a bar called Rancho La Gloria, where a bartender served a customer who was supposedly allergic to every spirit except tequila, resulting in him creating this elegant refreshing cocktail .Although nobody knows the exact story, it did not stunt its popularity becoming one of the most popular cocktails across the world.
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When drinking the margarita it is perfect to pair with any Mexican food- tacos, burritos, ceviche or even just guacamole and Doritos! This is because the core ingredients- tequila, citrus and salt- compliment and balance the spicy tangy flavours of Mexican cuisine. The citrusy lime cuts through richer dishes, the sweetness balances spicy flavors, the tequila's backbone provides a strong base and the salt rim heightens the food's overall taste. Its all well and good making and drinking them- but whats the key to the best most perfect margaritas ever?
- 50 ml Tequila
- 25 ml Cointreau (or triple sec)
-15 ml Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
- Coarse Salt or Tajin
- Lots of Ice!
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Step 1- First step to making any cocktail is to prep your glass. Using a lime make the rim of the glass slightly wet and dip into coarse sea salt (Or Tajin salt if you're making a spicy margarita!)
Step 2- In a shaker, add your Tequila, Cointreau, Lime Juice and loads of ice! Ensure to shake thoroughly.
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Step 3- Once the shaker is ice cold, fill your prepped glass with ice and strain the contents into it. Double strain is the best option to ensure no extra pulp or flesh gets in!
Step 4- Garnish however you'd like- the most usual being a wedge or wheel of lime!
Now you know a bit of the history, what is a Margarita and how do you make the most perfect one. A Margarita is a Mexican cocktail consisting of a base of Tequila, Cointreau and Fresh Lime Juice-
50 ml Tequila- Use a good quality Tequila like Patron… you will notice the difference!
25 ml Cointreau- Cointreau is an orange liqueur similar to Triple Sec.
15ml Fresh Lime Juice- Freshly squeezed is essential for the perfect citrussy flavour.
The best way to enjoy them is to be shaken with ice and poured over fresh ice into a short glass. Ensure to rim the glass with salt and garnish with a fresh lime for that extra fancy feeling! Other ways include shaken with ice then strained into a martini glass. This particular way is perfect, however, ensure to use a lot of ice when shaking to keep the drink nice and cold, and cut through that strong tequila flavour! That is then the only real knack to creating the perfect cocktail… keep it cold. Using lots of ice when shaking is a key element to cutting some bitter or “alcoholly” flavours. The coldness of the drink numbs your receptors slightly so that the alcohol taste is not as strong but the flavours are still there.
Although the classic is an absolute favourite across the world, different flavours and combinations are becoming more and more popular.
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A Spicy Margarita has become a staple among every cocktail menu across the globe. The mix of citrus, heat and the tequila flavour blend for the most gorgeous cocktail- it's my personal favourite. There are different ways to add spice to your cocktail. Firstly and most simply is muddling a chili at the bottom of the shaker before adding any other ingredients. This then bashes out the spice and beautiful chilli flavour whilst muddling and shaking, just ensure to strain it well as you don't want any spicy seeds or flesh getting into your margarita! Another way to do this, the better way, is to create a simple chilli syrup. Any sugar syrup starts with a base of equal parts sugar and water. This makes syrups so easy but also so versatile to make. To create your spicy syrup add chillies and I sometimes like to add some Kaffir Lime to balance the sweetness. It's simply equal parts water and sugar over heat, with any added flavours, herbs or spices you would like. However just be sure that it's fully cooled before serving with your cocktails, as hot sugar is slightly dangerous! To garnish these, rim your glass with spicy salt or tajin, a citrusy, spicy seasoning perfect for rimming the glass of your margarita.
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Another flavour I like to make is Watermelon or Bloor Orange. Watermelon is so easy to add to any cocktail. Due to its high water content when juiced it holds a strong flavour. To my margarita mixture I like to add 50ml of fresh squeezed watermelon juice. This creates another gorgeous flavour which you need to share with everyone (or at least share the recipe but not the cocktail!). Creating any other citrus flavours of Margaritas is easy by substituting the lime juice for any other fresh squeezed citrus juice. For instance orange or blood orange!
Now you know how to make the perfect margarita! And what different flavours you want to make for yourself, when impressing friends or even to request at a bar!