Margarita

I found the end of a bottle of tequila in the back of the drinks store area. I’ve had it for a while. I had enough to make two small Margaritas. They were so delicious, I may have to buy more tequila. 

A note about tequila. It is a distillate of a drink made from the blue agave, which grows wild in Mexico. The process was bought to Mexico by the conquistadors, who set up a distillery in Tequila.  

Tequila comes in various types:

  • Silver or white tequila, which is clear white, and bottled within 60 days of being distilled.
  • Gold tequila (joven) is a caramel colour, and is much the same as silver tequila, with a little colouring and flavouring. 
  • Reposado tequila has been aged in oak barrels for up to a year, and is generally a lovely golden colour. 
  • Anejo tequila is aged for between one year and five years
  • Mezcal is not specifically a tequila, and may be made from a variety of agave plants. The agave is roasted before the fermentation, adding a smoky flavour. The ‘worm’ is a larva of an insect that lives in the agave plants. It is a sign of authenticity and luck. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 Lime wedges
  • Table salt
  • 3 floz (75ml) silver tequila
  • 3 floz (75ml) fresh lime juice
  • 2 floz (50ml) Cointreau
  • Lots of ice. 

METHOD:

  • Rub a wedge of lime around the rims of 2 chilled cocktail or margarita glasses, and salt the rims. Fill the glasses with ice
  • Add the liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until the mixture is very cold. 
  • Strain into the prepared glasses. Give the lime wedges a bit of a squeeze, and drop them into the margaritas.