Welcome to the 1st blog post in a series that is yet to be named. Here you will learn cocktail recipes and the history behind them, written by Ex-Bartender & Co-Founder of 86 Search, Dakota Poindexter.

 

Contents

The Story of the Frozen Margarita

Classic Margarita – with a Twist

The Story of the Frozen Margarita

The origin story of the Margarita is shaky, at best. Some say it was invented by Bartenders from the U.S., others believe it was by Bartenders from Mexico. What is agreed upon is that it was likely served to, and named after, a beautiful muse whom the Bartender was trying to impress. Despite its history, The Margarita is now synonymous with Cinco de Mayo, a holiday celebrated sparcely in Mexico, but widely in the U.S. 

Armed with a family recipe and a small business loan, Mariano Martinez opened his first Mexican restaurant in Dallas, Texas in the 1970’s. Mariano’s Mexican Cuisine was its name, and the specialty behind the bar was the blended Margarita. The issue was, the Bartenders only had one blender, and the thirsty patrons were drinking hundreds a night. Mariano had to think on his feet, and thank Agave he did. 

As most of us in the restaurant industry do, Mariano found himself in the cluttered aisles of a local gas station pondering his life choices. Under the fluorescent flicker Mariano glanced towards the dull roar of the slushee machine…that’s when the idea struck. The only way to keep his Bartenders happy and his customers satiated, was to transform his famous Margarita into something much cooler (pun intended). Finally convincing a store owner to sell him a used slushee machine, Mariano made some modifications and introduced his new Frozen Margarita to the world. I hardly have to explain the effect that this had on the bar landscape in the U.S., the brain freeze speaks for itself. 

Classic Margarita with a Twist

I’ll never forget the first Margarita I made for a paying customer. I had schmoozed my way into a Bartending gig in a small pub down the street from my college. I proved myself as a Barback, slinging dishes to the kitchen and changing kegs with gusto, but I was not prepared for the challenge that awaited me. That challenge was named Harriet, a strong mountain woman that looked old enough to be my grandmother, but acted young enough to intimidate a black bear. I soon learned two things, Harriet was an emphatic Margarita drinker, and I had no idea how to make one. The monstrosity that I served her was met with words that I dare not type, and during that heated discourse I was taught this recipe.

Harriet’s Margarita

2 oz. Tequila

  • Harriet preferred Silver, but this can be substituted with gold, anejo, or even Mezcal

1/2 oz. Orange Liqueur 

  • Honestly, cheap or expensive, when mixed in a Margarita it is hard to taste the difference

1/2 oz. Sour Mix

  • Please don’t use store bought mix! Use even parts lemon juice, lime juice, and sugar if you aren’t using another sweetener already. 

1/4 oz. Sweetener

  • I prefer to use Agave to sweeten my Margarita, but this can be omitted if using sugar in your sour mix

For a Margarita on the rocks, shake ingredients, serve over ice in a glass with a salted rim, and garnish with a lime wedge