Tequila
Choosing the right
tequila is the key to creating perfect
margarita recipes. Knowing the different types and
how they are made can lead to improving the
overall taste of your margaritas.
Tequila is required
to be at least 51% agave. In this type of
tequila, the remainder is usually sugarcane.
Premium tequila has the best taste and quality.
It is made with 100% blue agave juices and must
be distilled and bottled in Mexico. "Tequila
100% de Agave" or "Tequila 100% puro de Agave" must
comply with strict Mexican government
regulations.
Types
of Tequila
 
Blanco
(Silver)
This tequila is not aged.
Its appearance is clear and transparent. It is bottled immediately after the distillation
process
Oro (Gold)
This tequila is generally not aged.
Ingredients include 51% agave and 49% sugar
alcohol. Caramel,
fructose, glycerin and wood flavoring
are usually added to simulate aging. This is typically the
type of tequila found in frozen margaritas.
Añejo (Aged)
It is Blanco tequila
that has been aged in white oak casks for
more than a year but less than 3 years.
Ingredients include 100% agave. The amber color and
woody flavor are picked up from the oak.
Reposado (Rested)
It is
Blanco that has been kept in white
oak casks from 2 to 11 months. Ingredients
include 100% agave.
History of the Margarita
Esquire Magazine is the
first known publication to put a margarita
recipe in print. In their December 1953 edition
they listed the drink as:
1 ounce tequila
Dash of Triple Sec
Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
Pour over crushed ice, stir. Rub the rim of a
stem glass with rund of lemon or lime, spin in
salt -- pour, and sip.
Many
stories exist on who actually invented the
drink. One states that in October 1941 a
bartender named Don Carlos Orozco from Ensenada,
Mexico created the drink for the daughter of a
German ambassador who's name was Margarita. He
named the recipe after her. Another originates
from Galveston, Texas where, in 1948,
bartender Santos Cruz developed the margarita
recipe for singer Peggy (Margaret) Lee. He
allegedly named it after the Spanish version of
her name, Margarita. Another popular one
indicates that the margarita is just a variation
of another brandy based drink called the Daisy.
In a 1936 Iowa newspaper, James Graham reported
finding this cocktail in Tijuana. The word
margarita is Spanish for daisy so its possible
the similar tequila based cocktail took on this
name.
First Frozen Margarita Machine
The first
frozen margarita machine was invented on May 11,
1971 by Dallas
restaurateur Mariano Martinez. The machine was
originally a soft-serve ice cream machine and
now sits in the Smithsonian National Museum of
History.
Smithsonian Press
Release
Viva la Margarita! -
Interview with the Creator
Worlds Largest Margarita
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