You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy a margarita. After all, it’s five o’clock somewhere! There are a few guidelines to follow to make your drinking experience its very best. We’ll take you through the basics, from what makes a margarita so awesome, what glass you should be drinking it from, a few must-have ingredients, and what goes on the rim. If you’ve never had a margarita before, we’ll tempt you to give them a try. They are amazing! So, how do you drink a margarita?
What is a margarita?
We’ll forgive this question, just once. A margarita is a bittersweet blend of Blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, orange liqueur, and agave syrup. Yummy! They come in a few variations. Here are three:
Margarita on the rocks
This is a classic margarita that is served poured over ice cubes and not only shaken with ice as with most margaritas.
Frozen margarita
This refreshing, frozen summer treat consists of regular margarita poured into a glass full of crushed ice, or you can add the margarita to a blender full of ice and blend it until it’s the right frozen cocktail consistency. Serve it festively with a little umbrella.
Virgin margarita
For the non-drinkers or those yet under 21, we have the virgin margarita. Leaving off the alcohol, we use ingredients like lemon-lime soda, fresh orange juice, and club soda. A margarita without alcohol can still be a fun drink. Just experiment with different fruit juices and sodas. Garnishes like slices of orange or strawberry slices can add fun and flavor to your creation.
The right vessel
You don’t just drink a traditional margarita out of any old glass. Make a small investment in having the right ones. This cocktail deserves to be presented in one of the following glasses:
The welled margarita glass
This is the one most commonly used for a margarita. It’s wide bowl and rim are just right for rimming with salt or sugar. The long stem adds elegance and draws attention to its contents. Frozen margaritas work well in this glass because of the thick consistency of the drink.
The martini glass
This might not seem right, but a margarita serves well in a martini glass – especially for twisted versions, like the peach margarita.
Saucer margarita glass
Another popular choice for serving margaritas is the saucer glass. It’s smaller than the traditional welled margarita glass, but it has a saucer shape that is big enough for the drink and a couple of garnishes.
Tequila or no tequila
It’s possible to make a margarita with different alcohol as the base. You can substitute vodka or peach schnapps for a peach margarita. You can create a twist on the classic margarita with a substitution. Whatever else you use, it should be about 2 ounces of alcohol, with one ounce of orange liqueur. With dilution, this works out to be 1.2 ounces of alcohol in total. So use tequila or don’t, but make sure you keep the same amount of alcohol.
What other alcohol can you use?
As we’ve said, you can substitute other alcohols for tequila in your margarita. Tequila creates the classic, but it can be fun to experiment and make something new.
If you choose to remain traditional, consider which tequila you use. It matters to the taste and quality of your drink. You should use silver tequila and avoid gold because silver’s flavor works better with the other ingredients.
Tequilas can be costly, with prices maxing out in the thousands. But you can keep it inexpensive, if you want, with more modestly priced ranges that still taste amazing. The lime and orange liqueur works well with the taste of tequila.
If you’re looking for quality ingredients in a variety of ready-made margaritas, visit Rancho La Gloria today.
Sugar or salted rim?
The sophisticated way to present your margarita is with a salt or sugar rim. The salt cuts the bitter taste and offsets the sweet, sour flavor of the cocktail.
What kind of salt to use
There are a few kinds of salt, like table salt, sea salt or Himalayan salt, etc. But to rim the glass of your margarita, the best is kosher salt. Kosher salt has two great qualities for margaritas, it looks fantastic around the rim (it doesn’t clump), and the taste is subtle.
How to salt or sugar the rim
We’ve already made it clear, the margarita isn’t just about the taste; it’s also about the presentation. The salted rim accomplishes a bar-worthy presentation at home.
- Fill a plate with sugar or salt (your choice), or you could use sugared orange zest or even rainbow sprinkles – be creative.
- Use a wedge of lime to moisten the rim of the glass evenly.
- Dip the glass carefully onto the plate.
Now that you have your glass ready, you can pour in your drink, garnish, and get to sipping!
What to eat with your margaritas
Of course, you can drink your margarita alone or enjoy it with food. The flavor of the margarita is strong, so you should think about your food pairings. Just avoid salty foods because the margarita already has the salted rim.
Appetizers
Consider an appetizer of nachos made with either white, blue, or yellow corn chips with the beans, vegetables, and yummy toppings. The tomatoes add a fresh flavor to the margaritas, and the peppers and hot salsa are also flavor enhancing.
Entrees
Your main course can be a light salad, like a mango-infused chicken salad or tacos. These fatty foods work well with the citrus in the margarita. Your dressing can have a lemon-lime flavor because it won’t take away from the margarita’s taste.
For a heavier meal, fajitas are an excellent choice. You can marinate the meat in citrus juice and shred lettuce and other vegetables to add to your dish, along with guac or sour cream on the side.
Desserts
Consider pairing your margaritas with spicy chocolate or any variety of cheesecake. Again, it’s the fatty desserts that enhance the citrus flavor of the margarita.
We use premium 100% Blue Weber agave and fresh lime in every bottle of our margaritas. When you’re ready for an exceptional ready-made margarita, contact Rancho La Gloria.
Final thought
A well-made margarita is a thing of beauty. Follow the guidelines above to make a traditional or your own unique version of a margarita. Bottoms up!