The margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila, triple sec (such as Cointreau) and lime or lemon, often served with salt on the glass's rim. It is the most common tequila-based cocktail in the United States. The most popular tequila cocktail in Mexico, by contrast, is the paloma. The drink is served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita), or without ice (straight up).
Variations[]
The International Bartenders Association (IBA Official list of Cocktails) standard is 7:4:3, that is, 50% tequila, 29% Cointreau, 21% fresh lime juice.
Flavored liqueurs[]
Besides Cointreau, other orange-flavored liqueurs that might be used include Grand Marnier, Gran Gala, other brands of triple sec, or blue curaçao (yielding the blue margarita). In the Grenadines, some bars use Union Jake's Starfruit Liqueur instead of triple sec. When sweeter fruit juices or freshly puréed fruits are added to the margarita, the amount of orange-flavored liqueur is often reduced or eliminated entirely. In addition to orange-flavored liqueurs, secondary liqueurs may occasionally be added to a cocktail, including melon-flavored or black raspberry-flavored.
Fresh lime juice[]
Freshly squeezed lime juice is the key ingredient. The most common lime in the United States is the thick-skinned Persian lime. However, margaritas in Mexico are generally made with Mexican limes (Key limes). These are small, thin-skinned limes and have more tart and an often bitter flavor compared to Persian limes. Margaritas made with lemon have a softer taste, especially when Meyer lemons are used.
Frozen margarita[]
A variation of the margarita as a blended ice drink.
Other fruits[]
Alternate fruits and juice mixtures can also be used in a margarita. Fruits like mango, peach, strawberry banana, melon, or raspberry are suitable for creating this drink. Many recipes call for a splash of orange juice. Nowadays, margarita can be prepared in many different ways. When the word "margarita" is used by itself, it typically refers to the lime or lemon juice margarita, but when other juices are used, the fruits are typically added as adjectives in the name; with lime juice or lemon juice added to give it a characteristic margarita flavor (a wedge of lime is often added to the glass). Other varieties of margarita include: fruit margarita, top-shelf margarita and virgin margarita.