From: hunter@work.nlm.nih.gov (Larry Hunter)
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
Subject: Re: In search of margarita recipes
Date: 29 Jul 92 21:13:55 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: National Library of Medicine


I guess it is time to post this again...  Is there a FAQ for this group? 

Larry


Margaritas are one of the world's simplest to make well drinks, but are almost
inevitably screwed up.  Like good barbeque, a good margarita is simpler to make
than most people realize.

Ingredients:

  Decent tequila.  If you're far from Mexico, this may be hard to find.  Your
  basic Cuervo is to be avoided.  Try Herradura if you can find it, and Metaxa
  if you can't find that.  Herradura comes in two varieties, silver and "anejo"
  (old).  In DC, I can now regularly find the anejo for about $20/750ml

  An orange liquer.  Triple Sec is traditional.  If you want to be fancy, try
  Cointreau - you won't use that much.  Conroy's is a mexican orange liquer, if
  you want to be authentic.

  Limes.  *Do NOT use a margarita mix or Rose's*.  If you refuse to squeeze
  your own, buy reconsitituted lime juice (the stuff in bottles is often better
  than the stuff sold in green plastic things in the shape of limes).
  Squeezing a few limes is really worth the payoff, I promise.

  Ice and a good blender.

Method:

I use 3 parts tequila, 3 parts lime juice and 1 part orange liquer.  Put
everything in a strong blender with roughly an equal amount of ice and liquify.
If your blender can't crush ice, add some water and put the mixture in the
freezer, stirring occasionally until slushy.  Or, just serve on the rocks.

You should start with this, and modify it to match your tastes.  Up the amount
of liquer for a sweeter 'rita.  Cut the proportion of lime juice if you find it
too sour tasting.  Reduce the amount of ice used if you want the drinkers to
get drunker.

In a probably apocyrphal NPR story on the origin of the Margarita, and the
"original" recipe was 3 parts tequila, 2 parts Cointreau, and 1 part fresh
squeezed LEMON juice.  I made a few of these, and they are also delicious,
although significantly sweeter and even more potent than mine.  In the future
will probably go with a mix of lemon and/or lime juice, depending on what I
have in the house, but keep the orange liquer down to 1 part.  A splash of
orange juice is also acceptable, and makes a sweeter 'rita.

Making salted glasses:

I find that a salted glass is crucial to my enjoyment of the drink.  Get some
kosher salt (<<$1.00 for a big box at most supermarkets).  Pour a circular pile
onto a plate or cutting board; make it bigger in diameter than your glasses by
a bit, and maybe 1/4 inch deep.  Moisten the rim of your glass using a lime
wedge (if you don't have limes, moisten a sponge & wring it out.  Press the rim
of the glass into the sponge and rotate; this will mosten the top 1/4 inch of
the glass uniformly).  The dip the glass in the salt, rotating gently to
uniformly cover the rim with salt.  Carefully set the glass down, and let it
dry for at least 2 minutes.  Then pour the drink carefully into the center of
the glass.

Enjoy!

	Larry

--
Lawrence Hunter, PhD.
National Library of Medicine
Bldg. 38A, MS-54
Bethesda. MD 20894
(301) 496-9300
(301) 496-0673 (fax)
hunter@nlm.nih.gov (internet)
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink