The Super Bowl is made for margaritas

We all know that Cinco de Mayo is considered Margarita Day worldwide. Why wait that long?

This year, Friday, Feb. 22 has been declared National Margarita Day. Why even wait that long?

For me and my Super Bowl friends, we all take a break from wine and beer and hop onto, what I think, is a perfect drink for the big game, a margarita.

Why? Simply, margaritas pair perfectly with chips, salsa, spice, wings and pizza. Plus, drinking from a margarita glass adds elegance to a rather-not-so-elegant football day.

To me, a margarita is like drinking a mint julip on Kentucky Derby day or a hurricane on Mardi Gras. It is a natural.

To this day, the history of the Margarita is still uncertain. There are many theories, stories and possibilities as to when this drink was invented and who did. The story that I like best gives credit to a wealthy Dallas socialite named, you guessed it, Margarita Sames.

Legend has it when Margarita vacationed at her home in Acapulco, her favorite party game was to duck behind the bar and mix up all kinds of drinks for her guests. She used whatever liquor was available.

During her legendary Christmas party in 1948, Margarita mixed together tequila, Cointreau and lime juice. The result was immediate success.

Her friends spread the news of their favorite new drink, the margarita. Today, 185,000 margaritas are consumed daily in America.

Yes, there are numerous stories as to who made the drink first. The bottom line is simple.
The classic Margarita is made with the same ingredients as ‘Margarita’ Sames:
2 ounces tequila (I use Quinta de Gomez.)
1 ounce lime juice
1 ounce Cointreau
Salt
Lime wedge

Instructions:
Rub the rim of a margarita glass (yes, there is a glass named after her) with lime and dip it into salt. Mix tequila, lime juice and Cointreau in a shaker with ice, shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

My other favorite margarita recipes always include Cointreau. There is no substitute to me. Triple Sec does not work well and should not be an alternative for Cointreau.

These are the ingredients for the Luxe Margarita:
1 ounce Tequila Bianco (Quinta de Gomez)
½ ounce lime juice
Prosecco, Cava or Champagne
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Instructions:
Shake all tequila, Cointreau and lime with ice and strain into a chilled flute. Top with sparkling wine and bitters.

Spicy Margarita:
2 ounces Tequila Bianco (Quinta de Gomez)
1 ounce Cointreau
¾ ounce lime juice
2 slices jalapeno
Pinch of cilantro

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients except cilantro and jalapeno, add ice, shake and strain into an iced rock glass. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeno.

The drinks are easy. The real question is: Who will win the Super Bowl?

Posted by Phillip Kampe on January 31, 2013. Filed under Columns,Food,Opinion,Wine and Beyond. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry