The Margarita: The Secrets Of The Famous Cocktail
February 22 is the International Margarita Day. But are you sure you know the history and exact composition of this famous cocktail? On this world day, we reveal the secrets of a perfect margarita.
A cocktail born in Acapulco
Did you know that the margarita was born in Acapulco in 1948? This tequila-based cocktail is said to have been invented by Americans residing in Mexico.
It was in Acapulco, a city on the Pacific coast of Mexico that this famous cocktail was created by Margaret Sames, known as Margarita, the wife of a wealthy businessman.
This drink was first nicknamed 'The Drink', until Margaret's husband gave her a set of champagne flutes engraved with her nickname...
The cocktail of his invention would then have been renamed La Margarita: a name that would make the world go round and cocktail lovers happy!
To note: the shape of the margarita glass corroborates this version of the story because it looks like a flared champagne flute. This glass is about 11 cm in diameter at the top and can hold 34 centiliters of liquid.
A perfectly balanced combination of flavors
The secret of the margarita lies in the combination of cointreau liqueur, tequila and lime juice but also in the salt frosting that reveals all the aromatic intensity of this cocktail.
Indeed, this complex cocktail has the particularity of combining fruity, floral and tangy flavors.
To note: the Cointreau liqueur used in this blend owes its unique flavor to a Marriage of sweet and bitter orange peels. It is one of the favorite liqueurs of mixologists in the most famous bars in the world.
The Margarita is today part of the mythical cocktails, the most appreciated and consumed in the world. It ranks very precisely in the 8th place of the most drunk cocktails on the planet.
The original recipe
But, by the way, how do you make a perfect margarita?
The original recipe is prepared in four steps:
1- Moisten the rim of a Margarita glass with a lime wedge and place the glass on a plate of fine salt to frost its rim.
2- In a shaker, assemble 3 cl of Cointreau, 5 cl of blanco tequila and 2 cl of freshly squeezed lime juice with ice.
3- Shake, strain and serve gently, making sure not to remove the salt from the rim of the glass.
4- Garnish the glass with a lime slice.
A classic with almost endless variations
Today, the margarita has become a must-have cocktail that can be made almost infinitely according to the desires of mixologists.
While the original Margarita recipe has stood the test of time for over 70 years, the Cointreau house offers 52 different recipes on its website to rediscover this cocktail (see link below).
It is possible to revisit this great classic with atypical and gourmet flavors like mango, strawberry or spices.
For the Chinese new year the Cointreau house has even come up with a recipe for Chinese Margarita with yuzu :
On this International Margarita Day, everyone can find a margarita variation to their liking.
