It’s official, February 22 is National Margarita Day! I don’t know when this happened. I’ve checked my e-mail, I’ve checked my voice mail… I was never invited to the meeting. I’m a little hurt, but I’ll get through it. I started doing a little research about the popular adult beverage and this is what I came up with.
A margarita traditionally is tequila, triple sec (Cointreau), and lime juice. Served in a glass with a salted rim and a lime slice. You can have your margarita on the rocks, frozen or as a martini. In recent years, thousands of different spins and flavors have been introduced to the “traditional” margarita. But the authentic recipe is this:
- 50% tequila
- 29% triple sec
- 21% lime juice
Throw some salt on the rim with a lime wedge and this is what is known as a Perfect Margarita.
There are a few different accounts of how this drink came to be. In 1938, at the Rancho La Gloria Hotel, which was right outside Tijuana, Mexico. Bartender Carlos “Danny” Herrara is believed by some to be the creator of the margarita. Other accounts have a bartender named Don Carlos Orozco creating the drink at Hussong’s Cantina in 1941. Still others believe that Margarita Sames, a Dallas socialite, was at a Christmas party in Acapulco, Mexico in 1948 and created the drink that bears her name. Some drunk socialite from Dallas gets “bombed” in Acapulco and claims she came up with the drink… right. I once heard a drunk sorority girl say she invented the Jack and Coke, somehow, I’m not buying this story AT ALL.
Like any popular drink, these are only a few of hundreds of accounts. In my opinion it does not matter who came up with it, I just want to drink one. Everybody have a great Margarita Day! I encourage you to come up with your own version of the drink and let me know how it turned out. If it’s good, I’ll put the recipe up and share it with all the R.O.T.R. readers to enjoy.
Please always drink responsibly!!!