The classic margarita is part of the ‘sour’ cocktail family, traditionally consisting of tequila, triple sec orange liqueur and lime juice.
There are many debates as to who created the iconic margarita, one of them being of legendary bartender Pancho Morales. Pancho was working at Tommy’s Place in Juarez, Mexico in 1942 when a woman requested a ‘magnolia’. Apparently, Pancho did not remember the ingredients for this drink, so instead combined a few ingredients together and named it after another flower instead, a daisy which is called ‘margarita’ in Spanish!
Today, the margarita cocktail is reportedly consumed by Americans 185,000 per hour, being the most popular cocktail in the United States. The reason for it’s popularity is due to the drink containing all five main tasting elements: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, causing is to be a perfectly balanced drink. It also holds a fresh kick of citrus from the lime juice and triple sec, which is an orange-flavoured liqueur.
Using Maldon Salt for the rim is a vital step for serving a classic margarita. The salt helps mellow the bitter flavours, and enhances the sweet, citrus notes from the triple sec instead. Causing the sourness of the drink to appear more brighter in flavour, it allows the cocktail to become more pleasurable. It also adds texture to the drink from the flaky sea salt, allowing you to experience a subtle, satisfying crunch as you take your first sip.
Here is how to make our Classic Salted Margarita recipe…
- Place a generous pinch of Maldon Salt onto a small plate. Set aside.
- Run a lime wedge around the outer rims of a rock glass and dip the rims into the Maldon Salt. Set aside.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, Cointreau triple sec, and lime juice. Fill with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled, roughly 15 seconds. You will know when it has chilled because the bottom of the metal shaker should begin to frost over).
- Fill the glass with fresh ice. Begin straining the margarita mix into the glass.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
What alcohol is in a margarita?
The main alcohol in a margarita is tequila. This is then combined with lime juice and orange liqueur. We recommend using El Tequileño Blanco as your choice of tequila for this recipe, as it’s made with agaves from the Highlands of Jalisco, resulting in a slightly sweeter taste that pairs beautifully well with the lime juice and triple sec.
How to make this virgin / alcohol-free?
A virgin margarita is commonly made with lime juice, agave, orange juice and sparkling water or tonic water for bubbles. The combination of ingredients makes a well-balanced and sweet mocktail from the classic, allowing you to enjoy the flavours of a margarita but without the alcohol part!
What to serve with margarita cocktails?
It makes sense to serve delicious, Mexican-style dishes with a margarita cocktail! Our tacos are filled with deliciously tender pulled pork with fiery, zesty notes that pair perfect with the margarita’s citrus flavours.
Because margarita’s have a zesty, limey flavour, we also recommend dishes such as seafood to enhance this further. Try our deliciously tender grilled tuna steak with tomato and Salsa Verde to give a refreshing burst of flavour with a gentle kick of spice.
