Margaritas #2

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Margaritas are one of the world's simplest to make well drinks, but are
almost inevitably screwed up.  Like good barbeque, a good margarita is
simpler to make than most people realize.
Ingredients:
1.  Good tequila.  If you're far from Mexico, this may be hard to find.
Cuervo is to be avoided at all costs.  The main thing you are looking for
is "100% Agave". If it doesn't say 100% on the label, it will be 51% Agave
(real tequila) and 49% cheap cane liquor or worse. A couple of good brands
of 100% Agave tequila to look for are Sauza's "Hornitos" (*not* the other
Sauzas) and Herradura Silver. The Hornitos is about $13/liter, and the
Herradura is $20/750ml, so I try to find the Hornitos. Fancier, "anejo"
tequilas like Patron are "limes optional" in my book, and I reserve them
for shots.  On the other hand, if you are feeling extravagent, it certainly
won't hurt to make 'ritas out of them.
2.  An orange liquer.  Triple Sec is traditional.  If you want to be fancy,
try Cointreau - it's expensive, but you won't use that much.  Controy is a
Mexican orange liquer, if you want to be authentic.  It's my favorite, but
it is hard to find in the states. It comes in a square, green bottle.
3.  Limes.  *Do NOT use a margarita mix or Rose's*.  If you refuse to
squeeze your own, buy reconsitituted lime juice (the stuff in bottles is
often better than the stuff sold in green plastic things in the shape of
limes). Squeezing a few limes is really worth the payoff, I promise.
Tossing in a few bits of finely grated lime zest (peel w/o the white part)
is a nice touch, or at least squeezing the peel over the juice so that the
oil from the skin ends up included.
4.  Ice and a good blender.
Method:
1.  I use 2 parts tequila, 2 parts lime juice and 1 part orange liquer. Put
everything in a strong blender with roughly 3 parts ice and liquify.  If
your blender can't crush ice, add about 2 parts water and put the mixture
in the freezer, stirring occasionally until slushy (about 2-3 hours). Or,
just mix the tequila, lime juice and liquer, and serve on the rocks (my
ususal choice).
2.  You should start with this, and modify it to match your tastes.  If you
think this is too sour (many people will), try diluting the lime juice with
water, and adding a pinch of sugar.  Keep the ratio 3 tequila:3 diluted
lime juice: 2 liquer. Another option to make it a bit sweeter is to up the
proportion of liquer, to 3:3:2.  If you find this too sweet, try 3:3:1.
3.  A trick that many restaurants use to give their 'ritas on the rocks
some froth on the top is to put a small amount of raw egg white in the
blender. You won't taste it, and it makes a nice, long-lasting foam. The
most restaurant-like 'ritas will dilute the lime juice with a bit of water,
add some superfine sugar and use the egg white trick. I personally like the
undiluted lime and can do without the egg.
Making salted glasses: I find that a salted glass is crucial to my
enjoyment of the drink. Get some kosher salt (<<$1.00 for a big box at most
supermarkets).  Pour a circular pile onto a plate or cutting board; make it
bigger in diameter than your glasses by a bit, and maybe 1/4 inch deep.
Moisten the rim of your glass using a lime wedge (if you don't have limes,
moisten a sponge & wring it out.  Press the rim of the glass into the
sponge and rotate; this will mosten the top 1/4 inch of the glass
uniformly).  The dip the glass in the salt, rotating gently to uniformly
cover the rim with salt. Carefully set the glass down, and let it dry for
at least a minute. Then pour the drink carefully into the center of the
glass; if you are serving rocks 'ritas, then put the cubes gently into the
glasses before pouring the liquid over them. Con Mucho Gusto!
hunter@work.nlm.nih.gov (Larry Hunter)
CHILE-HEADS ARCHIVES
From the Chile-Heads recipe list.  Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe
Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.

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