I made two discoveries this past week. The first was a small, beautifully landscaped park located less than five miles from my home. Upon entering the park I was greeted by the intoxicating, heavenly aroma of highly fragrant lilac bushes. If heaven had a scent, it should be either lilac or lavender. Beds of the most glorious tulips, grape hyacinths, and many other spring annuals created a floral mosaic of the landscape. For the hour I meandered on the garden paths, all was right with the world. The second discovery, the one capable of making everything right with the world on a moment's notice, was realizing I did not have a recipe for a Classic Margarita on the blog! Crazy, right? A recipe for the kind of margarita having the ability to make any virtual Happy Hour happier! One not only elevating your margarita making game, but one destined to permanently spoil your margarita loving palate! So all in all, this turned out to be a pretty good week.
We have all had some really good margaritas and maybe more than our fair share of some not very good at all margaritas. If it weren't for the chips and guacamole or the companionship of friends, some of you may only had a margarita in a bar or restaurant. While many of us are longing for the days of returning to the local bar or restaurant experience, we need to fill the void by making margaritas at home. Happy hour doesn't only happen in a restaurant or on a certain night! No! It can happen in the comfort of your home or sitting out in your backyard on any day or days you choose. We may have lost many things in the past two months, but happy hour isn't one of them.
So what's the difference between a good margarita and a great margarita? You know that answer. Yes, it's the ingredients. Great ingredients will give you a great margarita.
So let's start with talking about the tequila. For those of you swore off tequila when you were drinking during your much younger, not legally eligible to yet drink days. I am guessing with a fair degree of certainty your weren't drinking a good tequila. Let alone a sipping tequila. So maybe it's time to discover what a really good tequila tastes like. For those of you whose experience with margaritas comes in the form of frozen ones, well, there is a pretty high likelihood the tequila used to make them isn't a really good one. So maybe the time has come for you to discover what a Classic Margarita tastes like.
There are many opinions about which is the best tequila to use when making margaritas. Everything from type to maker to personal preference. So I am going to share mine. Normally margaritas are made with a Blanco or Silver tequila. And there are some really great ones out there. But this Classic Margarita is made with a Reposado tequila. A tequila aged in oak barrels. Resulting in creating its' brownish hue and very distinguishable (smooth) taste. Generally considered a high-end, sipping tequila, Reposados aren't often used in a margarita. But this Classic Margarita uses a Reposado Tequila. And just in case you were wondering if all the hype around the Casamigos Reposado Tequila is true. It is. And it's a really, really good one to use when making margaritas (hint, hint).
Now let's talk about everything else that goes into making a really great margarita. Freshly squeezed lime juice, homemade simple syrup (see recipe in the notes), Grand Marnier, and some egg white. Some margarita recipes use Cointreau or Triple Sec. So what's the difference between the two? Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur, classified as a Curacao/triple sec hybrid, made with a mix of Cognac, distilled bitter orange essence and sugar. Cointreau is a style of one of the higher end brands of Triple Sec. If given the choice between the two in a margarita, my preference would be the Grand Marnier for its' more complex, deeper flavor and versatility.
I haven't yet found a bottle fresh lime juice that I love, so I use only fresh lime juice when making cocktails or baking. As the old saying goes 'fresh is always best'.
Last but not least is the egg white. Why use it? No, not because it adds some protein to your drink (but it does), but because it gives your finished margarita a rich, silky, foamy texture. In other words your finished drink is beautiful. I know what some of you are thinking. You are going to skip the egg white. The odds of getting sick from a small amount of the raw egg white doesn't even compare to the odds of getting a virus. So I say, especially to those of you who love eating raw cookie dough, add the egg white.
To rim or not to rim with salt? That's a typical margarita making and drinking question. The answer is simple. It's always a matter of personal preference. I happen to prefer my margaritas served in a salt rimmed glass. You don't need or you shouldn't buy anything called margarita salt. All you need is some really good sea salt. If, by chance you live or will be traveling to the Southwest or Mexico in the months ahead, look for sea salts coming from the Sea of Cortez. They are the perfect margarita sea salt. Whatever you use for salt, choose a good quality sea salt.
If you don't like rimming your glass with salt, still add a pinch of sea salt to your poured drink. And consider adding a light sprinkle of Tajin, a chili lime, sea salt seasoning. I happen to like my Classic Margarita served in a salt rimmed glass and finished with a pinch of Tajin.
In using these quality ingredients in the amounts listed in the recipe below you will end up with a smooth, complex, rich, sumptuous margarita. Quite possibly it might be the absolute BEST margarita you have ever tasted. You may even want to indulge yourself in having a second one. Remember you are enjoying them in the safety and comfort of your home.
So now let's talk about how margaritas are made. Usually in either a shaker or a blender. When made in a shaker, ice is usually involved. When made in a blender, ice isn't always involved (unless you are making frozen margaritas). You can make this margarita either way. But don't use any ice if making them in the blender.
So I encourage you to splurge on some really good tequila (like the Casamigos Reposado). Don't get sticker shock when you go to the liquor store. Just think of all of the money you haven't spent going out to Happy Hours or for cocktails with friends. When you do, you won't even blink at the price. Buy yourself some Grand Marnier, if you don't have any. Think of it as an investment as there are so many other things you can make with it. Get some fresh limes and throw away your bottles of margarita mix. Make a fresh batch of this Classic Guacamole and shake up a fabulous Classic Margaritas.
What Marcel Proust said many years ago is still holds true today. "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." So I encourage you to make this Classic Margarita. You might discover you actually love margaritas, that a Happy Hour, virtual or with whomever you live with, can still be lots of fun, and last but not least, you might actually acquire a fondness for tequila. Anything is possible. Now more than ever. You just need to be open to possibility.
Classic Margarita
Makes just one. But unless you are drinking alone, double this recipe. Better yet, make a pitcher.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Reposado Tequila (see Notes)
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon egg white
Finishing sprinkle of Tajin
A pinch of Sea Salt for topping the margarita or more for finishing the rim
Optional: Slice of lime
Directions
1. In large shaker filled with ice, add in the tequila, Grand Marnier, simple syrup, lime juice, and, if using, the egg white.
2. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. (Note: Alternately, if making more than one margarita, make in a blender but don't add ice to the blender.)
3. Pour in ice filled OR sea salt and ice filled glasses. Add a pinch of sea salt and very light sprinkle of Tajin. Garnish with a lime slice. Sip and enjoy!
Notes: (1) Casamigos Reposado Tequila was used to make these Classic Margaritas. Use your favorite Reposado or use a Blanco, but whatever you use, make sure it's a really good tequila. I like the Casamigos Repasado Tequila. (2) To make a simple syrup, add equal parts of water and sugar into a saucepan. Bring to a boil until the sugar melts. Remove from the stovetop and let cool completely. Store your simple syrup in a jar in the refrigerator. It lasts for weeks. I usually make a batch using 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. (3) You can make a pitcher of these Classic Margaritas, however, make it right before you are ready to serve. Do not refrigerate and do not add any ice cubes to your pitcher. Use a blender without filling with ice cubes instead of a shaker if making a large batch. (4) Tajin is a seasoning usually found in the ethnic section of the grocery store.
Lilacs in bloom, Lilicia Park, Lombard, IL (May 2020)
