How to Make a Margarita

If you like sweet and salty tastes melded together, the margarita is probably your drink of choice. Perfect with a rim of salt and a slice of lime, classic margaritas are hard to beat on a hot summer day. It's not difficult to learn how to make a margarita, whether you use a margarita machine or margarita maker. You can even use a non-alcoholic margarita recipe for younger guests that still want to enjoy the tasty cocktail. Margaritas pair well with Mexican food, especially chips and salsa or chips and guacamole, so plan on serving them at your next summer party with a host of Mexican appetizers.

The history of the margarita is shrouded in mystery. There are literally half a dozen stories about the origins of this marvelous cocktail. The most fun story behind the drink is the rumor that a woman in Dallas named Margarita Sames used to throw wild cocktails parties where she would mix up mystery drinks using unusual combinations of liquors. It was at one of these parties that she supposedly mixed up Cointreau, tequila and some lime juice to the delight of her guests. They went crazy over the new drink, and thus the Margarita was born.

There are many ways to make margaritas. You can rent a margarita machine that will churn out frozen margaritas with little effort on your part. A margarita maker is perfect for large parties where you don't have time to prepare individual drinks. Margaritas are also sold premixed with the alcohol already in the mix, but most of these premixed cocktails use low quality tequila. If you must use a mix, at least buy your own tequila and mix your own margaritas using either a blender for frozen margaritas or a cocktail shaker for margaritas on the rocks.

Make sure you invest in margarita glasses and salt for the rim. You'll also want to be sure to buy good tequila. While you don't have to buy the top shelf tequila, which is lovely for sipping, but is quite pricey when mixing for the masses, you'll want to buy something better than the very cheapest available in the liquor store. Aim for tequila priced in the middle range and you won't be disappointed.

Best Margarita Recipe

Ingredients You Will Need:
2 to 3 fresh limes
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce Cointreau
Coarse salt
Fresh lime slice for garnish

Squeeze the limes and save the juice. Mix two ounces of fresh lime juice, two ounces of tequila and one ounce of Cointreau with four to six ice cubes in a cocktail strainer. Shake the cocktail for about a minute to allow the margarita to get very cold and to allow for a little of the ice to melt. Rub a lime around the rim of the margarita glass and dip the rim in coarse salt. Pour into a margarita glass, allowing a few of the ice cubes to remain in the drink for a margarita on the rocks.

If you'd like to make a frozen margarita, simply pour the recipe listed above into the blender.

If you have friends along who want to try a virgin margarita, consider creating a non-alcoholic margarita. Combine a 12-ounce can of frozen limeade, a 12-ounce can of frozen lemonade, four tablespoons of powdered egg whites and a 2-liter bottle of lemon-lime soda in a punch bowl with a lot of ice.