Hello,
I'm sitting here sipping a margarita I just made. Thinking about this drink's evolution is something I do from time to time. What started out as a fairly simple tequila sour has become a culturally hijacked, spirit-branded, hyped-up colossus of an industrial complex. I believe margarita's are like, uh, opinions. Everybody's got one. From the Minutemaid frozen limeade concoction to the ultra top-shelf reposado, truffle-infused, pomegranate bastardazation seen on more bar menus than I care to count... (okay, I like the Mexican martinis in Austin. Went to school there and can't help it.)
However you prefer your margarita, I'm glad you like it. It's great isn't it. I mean, you made it, so you must like it. I'm not here to tell anyone their margarita is wrong, or not authentic, or any high-browed positions like that. If you put pomegranate juice in there we may have to talk. I'm here to praise the one in my hand. It's the one I love and make every summer once the weather gets warm enough. It's the one I sit on the back deck and can sip no matter how hot it gets. It's the one I make for my wife (and who loves it, God bless her) so she can relax after a hard day at work. It lets me taste the tequila. It let's me wonder at the astoundingly vibrant flavor of freshly squeezed lime juice. AND it doesn't force an overtly orange sickly sweetness down my gullet when I take a sip.
Think about your margarita. Make sure it is the one you like. Make changes if you can't taste the tequila or if it is out of acid/sweetness balance. When truly made to your personal taste, I can think of no better drink for the deck (land lubber or maritime) on a warm to hot summer day.
I debated about sharing my recipe. It's no better and no worse than yours. It's just mine. Here it is.
Perrito's Personally Preferred Margarita
2 oz blanco tequila (nothing expensive but just decent quality. I like Sauza).
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice (may have to adjust depending on the oomph in your limes)
3/4 oz triple sec (this gets dicey. I've split this with some Cointreau or some other orange liquer on occasion, but a decent triple usually does it for me)
Take spent lime and rub on outside of a shortish glass and 'dab' it into shallow plastic container of your kosher salt. Doing this first gives the salt time to dry onto the glass.
Add ingredients (throw in spent limes if your impressing your friends) to ice-filled shaker
Shake like crazy, keep shaking, shake some more, I didn't say stop..... there that's just right
Strain into the rimmed glass filled with ice. (or you can remove the strainer and let a few cubes plunk into the margarita)
Garnish with lime squeeze if entertaining or feeling special.
Give it a try if you like. You may like it, you may not. I make to proud exclamations about its taste. Play with the ratios, and practice, practice, practice.
Cheers,
P
I'm sitting here sipping a margarita I just made. Thinking about this drink's evolution is something I do from time to time. What started out as a fairly simple tequila sour has become a culturally hijacked, spirit-branded, hyped-up colossus of an industrial complex. I believe margarita's are like, uh, opinions. Everybody's got one. From the Minutemaid frozen limeade concoction to the ultra top-shelf reposado, truffle-infused, pomegranate bastardazation seen on more bar menus than I care to count... (okay, I like the Mexican martinis in Austin. Went to school there and can't help it.)
However you prefer your margarita, I'm glad you like it. It's great isn't it. I mean, you made it, so you must like it. I'm not here to tell anyone their margarita is wrong, or not authentic, or any high-browed positions like that. If you put pomegranate juice in there we may have to talk. I'm here to praise the one in my hand. It's the one I love and make every summer once the weather gets warm enough. It's the one I sit on the back deck and can sip no matter how hot it gets. It's the one I make for my wife (and who loves it, God bless her) so she can relax after a hard day at work. It lets me taste the tequila. It let's me wonder at the astoundingly vibrant flavor of freshly squeezed lime juice. AND it doesn't force an overtly orange sickly sweetness down my gullet when I take a sip.
Think about your margarita. Make sure it is the one you like. Make changes if you can't taste the tequila or if it is out of acid/sweetness balance. When truly made to your personal taste, I can think of no better drink for the deck (land lubber or maritime) on a warm to hot summer day.
I debated about sharing my recipe. It's no better and no worse than yours. It's just mine. Here it is.
Perrito's Personally Preferred Margarita
2 oz blanco tequila (nothing expensive but just decent quality. I like Sauza).
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice (may have to adjust depending on the oomph in your limes)
3/4 oz triple sec (this gets dicey. I've split this with some Cointreau or some other orange liquer on occasion, but a decent triple usually does it for me)
Take spent lime and rub on outside of a shortish glass and 'dab' it into shallow plastic container of your kosher salt. Doing this first gives the salt time to dry onto the glass.
Add ingredients (throw in spent limes if your impressing your friends) to ice-filled shaker
Shake like crazy, keep shaking, shake some more, I didn't say stop..... there that's just right
Strain into the rimmed glass filled with ice. (or you can remove the strainer and let a few cubes plunk into the margarita)
Garnish with lime squeeze if entertaining or feeling special.
Give it a try if you like. You may like it, you may not. I make to proud exclamations about its taste. Play with the ratios, and practice, practice, practice.
Cheers,
P