|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
The Margarita: The Basics about the Perennial Favorite By Carole Kotkin |
| |||||
|
The margarita hails from Mexico, although the drink’s origin is as hard to pin down today as Pancho Villa once was. Credit for the drink is sometimes given to a bartender in Ciudad Juarez, and at other times to the bar at the Caliente Race Track in Tijuana. And yet others credit Dona Bertha owner of Bertita’s bar in Tasca, Mexico. Whoever the true cocktail pioneer, we do know that the margarita showed up sometime around the 1940s, and continues its popularity today. The Margarita was the cocktail that increased American interest in tequila in the 1960’s, particularly among college students This intoxicating elixir is served in a variety of ways: on the rocks, frozen or infused with fruit flavors. The drink is usually served in a salt-rimmed highball glass, large martini glass or the ever-popular classic wide-brimmed margarita glass. Traditional margaritas are composed of three key ingredients: three parts tequila (liquor distilled from the core of the agave plant), one part orange liqueur and one part fresh-squeezed lime juice—although you'll find it mixed in varying combinations. And, just for the record, most bartenders worth their salt consider it a faux pas to toss a pre-made margarita mix into the blender with tequila and ice cubes. Order a margarita and you'll get a drink served with any number of different tequilas and orange liqueurs, but it's important to use the small round Mexican limes, usually called Key limes, which tend to be a bit sweeter than the common limes found in grocery stores. Here’s a recipe for a pitcher of classic margaritas: Citrus Margaritas Yield: 8 servings In a pitcher, mix the juices, tequila and liqueur (Cointreau). Chill thoroughly. To serve, mix in ice-filled shaker; strain into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange, lime and grapefruit slices. |
||||||
|
Carole Kotkin has been food editor for The Wine News magazine for twelve years. She writes a syndicated food column for the The Miami Herald. She is also food editor for The Coral Gables Gazette. |
||||||
| Back to CocktailAtlas.com | ||||||
|
Visit other F&B Travel Atlas sites:
|
||||||