Margarita Cocktail

The most common tequila-based cocktail you will probably find will be the margarita.

On the subject of who invented the margarita and when, like any creation - there is more than one story. There are many tales, here are just two:

One story tells of Daniel Negrete creating the cocktail in 1936. He opened a bar in the Garci Crispo hotel with his brother. When Daniel's brother was due to be wed, Daniel presented the cocktail as a wedding present to his sister-in-law, Margarita.

A second story tells of a bartender named Francisco Pancho Morales inventing the cocktail on July 4th, 1942. He worked at Tommy's Place in Texas, apparently a women requested a Magnolia (Cointreau, brandy, champagne and egg yolk), Pancho Morales was not too sure what this recipe involved and so he improvised with the creation of the Margarita which proved very popular.

The Recipe

This recipe serves 1

• 2 measures tequila
• 1 measure lime juice
• 1 measure Cointreau (or triple sec)
• Garnish: salt for the rim and lime wedge

Add all the ingredients plus ice into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass (martini glass), rimmed with salt. Decorate with a lime wedge.

Variations

• The Cointreau or triple sec can be replaced by orange flavoured liqueur or Blue Curacao. When using Blue Curacao this creates a Blue Margarita.
• A Grand or Royal can be made using Grand Marnier.
• To make a blended Margarita frothier, some add egg whites.

Facts

• Margarita is the Latin word for Pearl.
• Margarita is Spanish for the daisy flower.
• Specialists of tequila believe that salted rims are only used to disguise a bad quality tequila. A tip is to half tip the rim, if someone insists on a salt rim, this way they will be able to taste the drink.
• Margaritas in Mexico are made using Mexican limes, also known as key limes, these have much more flavour but a shorter shelf life.