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Today is one of the best cocktail holidays on the planet. Yep, you guessed it, it’s Margarita Day!
The Margarita may be one of the world’s most popular cocktails but it’s origin story, like so many other drinks, is a little tangled.
What we do know is that this Mexican beauty, came into being in the 1930s or 1940 but the first mention in print of a Margarita cocktail is in the December 1953 issue of Esquire magazine.
Now, while you could easily argue (quite rightfully) that the Margarita is simply a tequila Sidecar (with lime instead of lemon), the various stories of its birth are as vibrant as the drink itself.
While we’ve explored the various versions of this cocktail’s history before, today we want to come back to the present and make some suggestions to help you up your Margarita game.
So let’s break this racy ‘rita down and go through each ingredient and how it should be used.
Use A Still-Strength Or High-Proof Tequila
While you would never use less than 100 percent agave Tequila in your recipe, there’s nothing that says you can’t use a higher proof, non-diluted version. A “still-strength” or “high-proof” Tequila, typically Blanco tequilas, are bottled at 45 percent alcohol and/or higher and not diluted to a lower proof with water.
There are a number of producers currently making these available, including Arette with their Fuerte Blanco, Tapatio with their 110 Proof Blanco Tequila and Fortaleza with their Still Strength, to name but a few.
Try Tinkering With The Base Spirit
When you become an agave enthusiast, you quickly learn that Tequila is Mezcal, but Mezcal is not Tequila. That doesn’t mean you can’t swap them around. So why not take things up a flavour notch and use a quality Mezcal in your Margarita – you may find that she thanks you for it.
Loosen Up Your Limes
Squeeze those limes. The difference between bottled and fresh is just so so obvious. But squeeze your limes 4-10 hours before you make your Margaritas. If you allow the Lime Juice to age a little, it takes away some of the harsh acidity, while bringing out the essential limeyness of the juice.
Lime Juice aged for even just four hours has a more mellow taste, while the top notes seemed to pop a little more. Keep in mind though that longer isn’t necessarily better. After 10 hours of storage, the juices seemed to lose some of their aromas, and after a day of storage, bitterness becames noticeable and unpleasant.
The Sweetener
Mix adds simple syrup (essentially sugar water) to her margarita recipe “more for mouthfeel than for sweetness.” If you’re tempted to leave it out, she suggests reconsidering given that without it the drink “is a little bright and thin.”
You can replace it with more complex agave nectar, molasses, or honey. If you go that route, you’ll probably need to dilute the sweetener with some warm water to increase its mixability and you may not need a full quarter-ounce.
Fruits, Herbs & Spices
Many bars and restaurants put their own spin on the drink by adding a variety of fruits, herbs, and spices. And you can too. It’s an easy way to give the drink a signature flavour. Some favourites to add are passion fruit, mango puree and just about any kind of berry.
You can also add a few pieces of watermelon to your shaker, which works beautifully. Although we would recommend that you skip Mint and Cinnamon, other options such as Sage are amazing when they are mixed with Mezcal.
If you want to give your margarita some heat, skip the incendiary Habanero and instead using the less fiery Jalapeno. No matter which hot pepper you choose, keep in mind that if you use just the skin, you’ll get more of a vegetal flavour or if you use just the seeds, you’ll get more heat.
Upgrade Your Salt Game
The classic recipe is great, so how can you improve while still keeping it classic? Upgrade your salt game! You can easily create a salt mix, using Lemongrass, Lime, Cactus or any other spice, to create another layer of flavour, while also maintaining balance.
If you choose to make a Mezcal Margarita, why not take the opportunity to try Worm Salt for a more spicy take on the original.
PIN IT
