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Margarita
Margarita: blanco tequila, fresh lime and orange liqueur shaken ice-cold and served in a half-salted glass
Several towns along Mexico's northern border, from Tijuana and Ensenada to Ciudad Juárez, claim the margarita as their own, born in the 1930s and 40s when visitors crossed over for tequila and tacos. Today it is the Friday-evening drink of norteño restaurants and family parties, poured beside carne asada and guacamole. This version is for adults only and it is simple: good 100% agave blanco tequila, fresh lime and orange liqueur. It should be bright and tart first, then gently sweet, with the salt on the rim making the lime taste even sharper. The usual mistake is reaching for bottled lime juice or ready-made sour mix, which gives a flat, sugary drink with a chemical bite. Squeeze limes just before shaking. A second slip is salting the whole rim inside and out; salt only the outside of half the rim so each sip is your choice. It is ready when the shaker is too cold to hold comfortably and a thin layer of ice crystals floats on top. Enjoy one slowly and drink responsibly. Chef's tip: use coarse sea salt mixed with a little grated lime zest for the rim; it sticks better and smells of lime.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 1
Ingredients
For the margarita
- 1 lime wedgeto wet the rim
- 1 tbsp coarse sea saltfor the rim
- 3 ½ tbsp blanco tequila100% agave
- 1 ½ tbsp lime juicefreshly squeezed, about 1 lime
- 1 ½ tbsp orange liqueurtriple sec style
- 10 ice cubes
To serve
- ½ tsp lime zest (optional)finely grated, mixed into the salt
For the alcohol-free version
- 1 lime wedge (optional)
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt (optional)
- 2 tbsp lime juice (optional)
- 3 tbsp orange juice (optional)freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp agave syrup (optional)
- 3 ½ tbsp soda water (optional)chilled
- 10 ice cubes (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Spread 1 tbsp coarse sea salt on a saucer and mix in ½ tsp lime zest if using. Run 1 lime wedge around the outside of half the rim of a short glass or coupe and roll that wet edge in the salt. Chill the glass.
2 minStep 2: Put 3 ½ tbsp blanco tequila, 1 ½ tbsp lime juice and 1 ½ tbsp orange liqueur in a shaker, fill with 6 ice cubes and shake hard for 12–15 seconds, until the tin is frosted and painfully cold.
1 minStep 3: Strain into the salted glass, either straight up or over the remaining 4 ice cubes, and serve at once.
1 minStep 4: Alcohol-free version: salt half the rim of a glass using 1 lime wedge and 1 tbsp coarse sea salt in the same way.
2 minStep 5: Alcohol-free version: shake 2 tbsp lime juice, 3 tbsp orange juice and 1 tbsp agave syrup with half the 10 ice cubes until frosted, strain over the rest of the ice and top with 3 ½ tbsp soda water.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does margarita take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 1 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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