I am not the only one who says this. Now I have legions of Focus participants who agree that they've never really had a good Margarita until they tasted the ones made by Omar O'Rourke's bartender, Pedro. I was literally brow-beaten until I promised to publish the recipe. So here goes with a few comments from yours truly.
First of all, did you know that Margarita is Spanish for 'daisy?' I didn't until I was surfing the Internet for interesting tidbits for this blog. Who knew...and why? That's another blog, I'm sure...where the Margarita got its name. That's not important now...we need to know how to make a great one! And, I also found out that the Margarita is Mexico's National drink. I don't know if that's true, but if someone out there does, let me know.
Believe it or not, Margaritas are fairly simple to make. They only have four ingredients, if you don't count ice and salt, but then what would they be without those items? The four are: Tequila, *Controy, lime juice and Jarabe (simple sugar syrup).
If you don't live in an area with a large Mexican community, you may not be able to get Jarabe. So if you want to make it, if you're a big Margarita drinker, or if you're having a party, you may want to make a liter which will last for several weeks.
Making the Simple Syrup. The formula is simple:
Two parts sugar to one part water.
Fill a pot with one cup of water.
Heat the water to boiling and add 2 cups sugar.
Stir and boil until all the sugar is dissolved.
Let it cool before you use it.
You might even want to make it the night before you want to use it. You only need to refrigerate it if it's going to be around for a while.
Mixing the Margarita. Have a plate with coarse salt handy and a piece of sliced lime. I like key limes...they're sweeter and more plentiful in Mexico. Moisten only the outside of the rim with the lime, then dip the rim into the plate of salt to get a nice coating. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
And, okay, I will admit it, I've become a Tequila snob since moving to Mexico. I will only use Tequila that says 100% Agave on the bottle: If it doesn't say 100% Agave, it means the Tequila is cut with grain alcohol...let's all say 'yuck' together now! Makes my brain cells hurt!
Here's the straight scoop on Tequila. Most distilleries produce several versions of the four main styles: white or silver, which is colorless and straight from the still; gold, which is colored with caramel but not aged; reposado, or 'rested' in oak barrels for two to 12 months; and anejo, which is aged for more than a year. Don't use reposado or anejo for Margaritas. People think the more expensive the Tequila, the better the Margarita ...'taint so! You don't need the 'oakiness,' which can be too harsh for what is basically a fruity drink.
Here are the proportions to make one drink or 20.
Measurements
1 part Tequila
1 part Jarabe (sugar water)
1 part Controy (or Cointreau)*
1 part lime juice
Shake the four ingredients and pour into your salted glass over ice. And enjoy! Pedro usually makes a lot for our groups, has all the glasses lined up when we get there and starts pouring immediately. And, contrary to what has been said, itis simply not true that I've been seen pushing members of the group out of the way to get to the Margaritas...that would just be wrong!
*Controy note: We use Controy in Mexico because it is made here and very reasonably priced. It may not be possible to find it in the U.S. or Canada. You can use Triple Sec or Cointreau if you need to, but they are significantly more expensive.
And one last note, since limes vary in sweetness/sourness, don't be afraid to add more sugar syrup if the drink is too sour.
Salud!