How do I make a great margarita?
Vilis’ World’s Greatest Margarita Recipe My best results occur when I mix this in a standard blender: 1-1/2 cups good tequila! Life is too short to drink cheap tequila! Jose Cuervo Gold is the minimum standard. My personal favorite is Jose Cuervo 1800. And, face it, the margarita will be incrementally better if you jump up to a higher-end brand (besides the better the tequila, the less severe the hangover!). Experimenting with high-end tequilas will add subtle flavors and allow you to create your own signature margarita. My latest favorite is a brand called Cazadores recommended to me by Fernando Avelar whose family has a legacy of growing and harvesting the blue agave tequila in Mexico. Patron Silver Tequila has also been a very good mix. 1/2 cup Grand Marnier This is as good as is gets. I do not float this on top but rather mix it in with the blender. A great alternative is the Italian version of Grand Marnier called Gran Gala (it’s less expensive and just as good). 1/3 bottle of bee
A great margarita is easy to make. It all centers around your tequila: you don’t need the extremely expensive tequila for this cocktail, but the stronger you want your drink, the better tequila you should get. 1800 should be fine, but if you really want to splurge, Patron is the way to go.
Next is the margarita mix: you can either buy margarita mix at the store, but that tends to be a little bit salty. You can always substitute with fresh lime juice and some simple syrup. The tartness of the lime will cut the tequila sting, and it is much fresher and brighter than if you bought margarita mix.
Ingredients:
2 oz tequila (silver or gold)
1 oz triple sec
2 oz margarita mix (or 1.5 oz fresh lime juice mixed with 0.5 oz simple syrup)
Salt for the brim of the glass
A few wedges of lime
A handful of crushed ice
Directions:
In a tall glass, combine tequila, triple sec, and the margarita mix/lime juice concoction with the ice. Stir with a long spoon, or shake in a shaker (more ice will melt this way because of friction).
Run your lime wedge around the brim of your margarita glass. Dip it in margarita salt. Carefully pour your liquid into the margarita glass. Serve with a few wedges and a straw.
