Properly Sauced - The Classic Margarita

By Anthony Todd in Food on Aug 27, 2010 6:00PM

We are on a campaign - no, a crusade - to elevate the status of the often humble margarita to that of other great classic cocktails. Demeaned by bad ingredients, weak drinks filled with slush and vomiting college students bent over in gutters, the margarita has gained a bad reputation. You can buy it in cans, pre-mixed with malt beverage. You can order it flavored (blue raspberry margarita? shoot us now) and sweetened beyond recognition. The classic margarita needs a champion, and for today, we'll take up the mantle.

The original margarita is a three-part cocktail, no different from the Manhattan or sidecar, which consist of a base spirit, a liqueur and some sort of strong flavor element. For the margarita, the base is tequila, the liqueur is triple sec and the flavor is some form of lime. The cocktail should be served straight up, not blended, in either a cocktail glass or a lowball. Salt rim is optional, as is a lime wedge. If you've never tried a real margarita, make one tonight - you'll never go back.

What tequila to use? For a reasonably priced margarita, we generally use El Jimador. It's cheap, and has enough of that "knock you in the teeth" tequila edge to make you feel like you're drinking something. For a smoother ride, we've recently become enamored with Razul. Despite a ridiculous bottle, it has a smoky flavor that blends wonderfully.

Classic Margarita

1 part Tequila (we prefer gold)
1 part Triple Sec
1 part Lime Juice

Add the ingredients to a martini shaker and shake - gently - to combine. Strain into a cocktail glass.

The proportions of a margarita are a matter of taste. The original drink had a 1:1:1 ratio of the three ingredients, and this is how we make ours. The official IBA ingredient list is very heavy on the tequila and light on the lime (7:4:3), but with Triple Sec in the mix at 60 proof, watch out for the alcohol - the official mix might make you fall over.