classic margarita
A quality margarita has to be one of the toughest drinks to find in a restaurant or bar. Why is that? It must be one of the more popular cocktails. And yet at any given Mexican restaurant or bar – good ones for that matter – you’ll find a margarita made with a pre-made mix that tastes something like a sugary lemon lime Gatorade. It’s not that hard to make fresh, although if you’re making a lot of them behind the bar, I can see the draw to use a mix. There’s no excuse for that at home though.
This recipe is adapted from Jeffrey Morgenthaler, a well-known bartender in Portland, OR. I love his approach and the things that he deems important behind the bar. He’s a craftsman. If you’re interested in finding a bartending “cookbook,” I have and really enjoy “The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique.” Not only will it provide you with excellent recipes, you’ll learn the fundamentals of good cocktails.
A few notes on equipment and ingredients that you’ll want for this recipe and future cocktails:
Tequila: I’ve heard (and said myself) many times “don’t use good alcohol for mixing.” After experimenting with different tequilas in this recipe, I no longer subscribe to that mantra. Maybe it’s true if you’re drinking whiskey and coke, but it’s not true in a good margarita – the quality of the tequila greatly impacts the taste of the margarita. I’d prefer quality over quantity. I like the flavor of reposado or anejo varieties and some of my favorite tequila splurges are Casamigos and Roca Patron (not Patron, although I’m sure that’s good too). These two tequilas are excellent for sipping neat or on the rocks as well. They’re also expensive. Just buy the best tequila you can afford – even if it’s the premium Jose Cuervo.
Jigger: Bartending is not like cooking; bartending is like baking. You need to measure and measure accurately – it’s the difference between a great cocktail every time and an inconsistent cocktail. So do yourself a favor and get a proper jigger to measure with and take it seriously.
Simple syrup: You’ll need simple syrup in your fridge for this and other cocktails. The good news is it keeps for a long time. So, find a good squeeze bottle and make a batch of 2:1, meaning two parts sugar to one part water. This is the most common ratio of simple syrup. Buying simple syrup is like buying a sourdough starter – there’s no need for it. It’s just sugar and water!
classic margarita
This is the only margarita recipe you'll need. Quantities are precise and perfect. You can use this as a basis to modify citrus (grapefruit, orange, etc.).
Ingredients
- Salt for rimming the glass (flaked works best)
- 1 1/2 ounce tequila (I prefer reposado or anejo)
- 3/4 ounce Cointreau
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 TSP 2:1 simple syrup
- Ice cubes for shaking and serving
Instructions
Rim the lip of a low-ball glass with salt (flaked salt works best, in my opinion), and then fill the glass with ice. Using a shot glass or jigger with various measuring marks, combine the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds and then strain the contents into your glass.
Notes
Inspired by: Jeffrey Morgenthaler