In Search of the Best Margarita Mix

People who love Margarita’s, (in other words, those who have ever had a good one), will travel miles, read volumes, and torture bartenders to find the best Margarita mix recipe.

It wasn’t until I traveled to Mexico several years ago that I developed a full appreciation for this wonderful cocktail. Spanish for daisy, Margarita can mean many things to different people. My early exposure, (and subsequent disinterest in the drink), was of a blended, overly sweet froo-froo drink at a chain restaurant. Not the best margarita recipe! It was a far cry from the potent tequila delivery system served in the Mexican border town I visited years later.

What I learned there was an important lesson in margarita mix creation: It’s all about the tequila! Bad tequila = bad Margarita! Maybe it’s just psychological, but I have always associated tequila with good times. Nothing starts the night off better for me than a nice blanco! So let’s get to the ingredients in the best margarita recipe;

Kosher Salt (for rimming the glass)
Ice
1 1/2 ounces good quality tequila (blanco is best)
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce Cointreau

*optional- TBSP agave nectar for added sweetness

Use the best quality tequila you can afford and NEVER use anything but fresh lime!

Now that you have the best ingredients for your cocktail, pick out a nice glass. Presentation matters. I like a nice wide rim with plenty of surface area to hold salt. The traditional margarita glass is tapered from top to bottom with a stem to help preserve its chill.

First fill the glass with ice water to chill it while mixing. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add all ingredients except salt. Shake vigorously. Empty the glass of ice water, rub lime around the rim, and plunge rim of glass into the kosher salt. Now strain the the drink into the chilled and rimmed glass. Done! The perfect Margarita!

Be careful! These things are delicious and surprisingly potent. Rookies often get in trouble by over-indulging.

To fully appreciate the best margarita recipe, put on some nice Mariachi music while preparing and drinking.

If you don’t want to make your own Margarita from scratch, we highly recommend Demitri’s all natural mix.  We reviewed both regular ans sugar-free recipes. We preferred the classic, but both were absolutely delicious.