Pale yellow to light green in color and with a tangy, refreshing flavor, this cocktail is served very cold in a frosted Martini-style glass.
The Margarita is a Short Drink (small quantity, high in alcohol, served without ice) and a Sour (alcohol + acid + sweet element, here Cointreau). It is one of the official cocktails of the IBA (International Bartenders Association).
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Classic recipePour 5 cl of tequila, 2 cl of Cointreau (or other triple sec), and 1.5 cl of fresh lime juice into a shaker with ice. Serve in a salt-rimmed Martini glass. |
There are several versions of how this cocktail was created. The most popular theory is that bartender Carlos "Danny" Herrera invented the Margarita at his bar, Rancho La Gloria, near Tijuana in 1938. He created it for an American showgirl, Marjorie King, who was allergic to all alcohol except tequila, but didn't like the taste neat. He then mixed the tequila with lime and Cointreau.
Another popular theory is that the Margarita was invented at Hussong's Cantina bar in Ensenada, Mexico, for a regular customer named Margarita Henkel, daughter of the German ambassador to Mexico. The bartender, Don Carlos Orozco, is said to have improvised this mix in 1938 in her honor.
A third, fairly common version, is that a Texan socialite, Margarita Sames, invented the cocktail for guests at her home in Acapulco. One of her friends, Tommy Hilton, then introduced the drink to Hilton hotels in 1948.
The Margarita first appeared in print in 1953 in Esquire Magazine, with the line: “She’s from Mexico, señores, and she is lovely to look at, exciting and provocative.”
