A Margarita was the first cocktail Anika learned to make, on a trip to the south of France (although the location didn’t matter since, as she was taught, it’s 5pm somewhere). Since then, her margaritas have been somewhat famous for delivering a lot of alcohol without people noticing. The key was perhaps the addition of a dash of 7up, something we’ve looked to refine in this recipe by using a little sugar syrup and extra lime instead. The other twist is in the rim – the perfect Margarita should be sipped taking in a little of the salt rim, twisting slightly with each sip until it’s all gone. With pure salt, that’s far too much (especially if you’re having several during the night). Instead, this sugar-salt mix always gets compliments.
Tequila-based cocktails seem to be the ones that need the most taste tests for us, but we’ve ended up with a punchy, sweet-sour drink that will have you wanting more.
To make one serving, you will need:
· Cocktail shaker
· Margarita glass (or a martini glass)
· 40ml reposado tequila (our favourite here is Olmeca Altos Reposado) Note: If you don't use a Reposado tequila, the balance of flavours will likely change dramatically, so this recipe might not work
· 20ml Cointreau
· 25ml freshly squeezed lime juice, reserving the spent lime halves
· 15ml sugar syrup – make it yourself by mixing together a 50:50 blend of caster sugar and boiling water from the kettle
· 2 tablespoons caster sugar
· 1 tablespoon sea salt, finely ground (we like to crush Maldon sea salt)
· Generous handful of ice
To make:
1. Mix together the sugar and salt on a small plate (note: you will not need the full amount per glass, but this quantity makes rimming the glass easier)
2. Use the reserved lime half (after squeezing the juice out for the cocktail ingredient) to rim the glass i.e. run the juicy part of the lime around the rim of the glass, about half a cm deep
3. Dip the rim of the wet glass into the sugar-salt mix, so that it sticks to the glass. Slowly turn the glass, continually dipping it into the sugar-salt mix, until the entire glass rim is covered
4. Pour the remaining ingredients (including the ice) into the cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously – around 30 seconds
5. Strain into the rimmed Margarita glass.
This is the perfect cocktail to get the party started, and it goes fantastically well with Mexican food – we love it with chicken fajitas if you’re serving a main; otherwise alongside tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole if you’re just looking to serve nibbles.
Stay salty af,
Anika & Fleurie