That evening, she shook together three parts tequila with one part Cointreau
and one part lime. It was a hit and news of how delicious the cocktail baring
her name was spread quickly through the Texas elite and soon to Hollywood.
Another story says that showgirl Marjorie King, who had an allergy to most
alcoholic drinks and for some reason could only drink tequila, was pivotal
in its creation. In 1938, while visiting the Rancho Del Gloria Bar in Rosarito
Beach, Mexico, she asked bartender Danny Herrera to mix her a cocktail rather
than just taking a shot. He poured Tequila over shaved ice then added lemon
and Triple Sec. He translated Marjorie's name to Spanish and called the
drink, margarita.
The final story comes from Tommy's Place in Juarez, Mexico. In 1942, bartender
Pancho Morales got confused when a lady ordered a Magnolia. Morales could
not remember its ingredients, except Cointreau, so he mixed in his favorite
liquor, tequila, and named his new concoction after the flower, daisy -
margarita in Spanish.
As these and other margarita stories, the drink's ingredients are open to
interpretation.
Recipes shown have some of those variations. Feel free to adjust them to
your taste. If you don't want, or can't have salt, leave it off the rim.
If you like things sweet, coat the rim with granulated sugar. All Recipes
make one drink and can be expanded. |
| |
|
Where
Does Tequila Come From?
|
Tequila
is made from blue agave, broad leaved Mexican plant and member of the lily
family. It takes 8 to 12 years to mature, at which time the spiny leaves
are cut away to reveal a large, pineapple shaped heart called a pina.
The pinas, which are composed of pure starch, are streamed in stone ovens
and then pressed three times to extract the agave juice. Agave fibres tend
to reabsorb much of the juice, so the fibres are washed to obtain the maximum
amount of juice from each pressing. The result of the pressing and the wash
is called aguamiel, or honey water.
The aguamiel is fermented in vats with select yeasts. According to Mexican
law, distilled tequila must be aged in oak barrels. The youngest, bianco
(or white) tequila, is aged 14-21 days; oro (gold) tequila is aged up to
two months; reposado (rested) tequila is aged for a minimum of two months,
but no longer than one year; and anejos (aged) tequila is aged a minimum
of one year. Bartenders most often use the gold tequila to make margaritas,
although some like to combine it with a touch of white tequila to give the
drink an added bite.
Like other liquor, such as scotch, the older the tequila, the more refined
the taste and higher the price. |
| |
|
Get
The Lime Right
|
| Choosing, storing
and juicing limes are pivotal to the creation of a margarita. Buy brightly
colored, smooth skinned ones that feel heavy for their size. Small brown
areas on their skin, called scald, won't affect flavor or juiciness, bur
a shriveled, dry look or a hard skin will. Store limes in a plastic bag
in the fridge; they'll keep up to 10 days. Store cut limes the same way
up to 5 days. Before juicing, roll the lime firmly with your hand. This
will break the inner membranes, allowing the juice to flow more freely once
cut. |
