# The Perfect Margarita



## mattfin (Apr 16, 2007)

Summer is upon us, and so it is time to start enjoying that most wonderfully warm-weather drink, the margarita. I have been working on my margarita recipe for nine years now - no really - and I think I have come up with something really spectacular. I wanted to share my recipe with you all, and of course I want to hear your recipes as well (for comparison sake). In short, I want to know that I am drinking the perfect margarita every chance I get, and I can only know that if I try what else is out there!



It's a tough piece of research, but somebody has to do it! 



Here is my latest recipe:

(makes one margarita) 

one lemon
one lime
1.5 shots Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice
1 shot Triple Sec
2 shots Tequila (I prefer silver tequila for a margarita myself...)
ice cubes
Cocktail shaker
two bowls
fine mesh strainer
margarita glass rimmed with salt
1. Zest the lime (only the lime - I have tried it with the lemon too, not as good...) into one bowl. 

2. Juice the lemon and the lime into the same bowl. It's okay to get seeds and pulp in there, they will be strained out later.

3. Add the Rose's, Triple Sec and tequila to the bowl.

4. Give the mixture a stir, and let the mixture steep in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, up to an hour (as if you could wait that long...)

5. Strain the mixture through the fine mesh strainer into the other bowl (press the solids to get all the flavor out.)

6. Pour into shaker, add four or five ice cubes.

7. Shake thoroughly and pour (use shaker's strainer to keep ice out) into margarita glass.



I have been enjoying these all season long so far, and my friends have agreed they are some of the best ever. I am always looking for new methods though, so if you have any ideas - lay them on me!


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

Looks good  I'll give it a try this weekend.


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## mattfin (Apr 16, 2007)

That's awesome! If you do, please offer feedback here! I would love to know what others think about this! (Is it really as great as I think it is, or am I just too drunk off them to tell the difference?...)


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

Matt,

I have a recioe to post but a commentary on a couple ingredients first. Not yours but ones necessary to make mine since I don't use Roses.

When I bartended for a national chain we had a great sour mix. It was Called Freeze Dried. Basically it was freeze dried lemon, lime and sugar.

It's been a long time and have never found the stuff outside the business. Then in KC I found an equivelent to it and right now can't for the life of me remember the name. Anyhow it's not available here in VA so I found another. Believe it or not Target sells it in one of those buckets in the food market section. Just mix it to the directions except leave out the packet of yellow goo and add an extra cup of water.

Now, here's my recipe.

BTW Makes a big margamarita.

6oz. Good Gold Tequilla. Preferably Jose Cuervo
3oz. Triple Sec
3oz. Grand Marnier
1oz. Fresh OJ
1oz. Fresh lemon juice
1oz. Fresh Lime Juice
16oz. Sour mix
2oz. water

Throw all in a pitcher, mix well i.e. get a good froth out of the mix, pour over ice, garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy. Salted rim is optional.


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## castironchef (Oct 10, 2005)

Call me a purist, but my margaritas are nothing but 3 parts quality tequila, 1 part lime juice and 1 part triple sec. Shaken (or stirred - if no members of MI5are around) and poured over ice. Salt on the rim strictly optional.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

Oldschool'--

Sounds like my kind of margareta...

Mix.

Drink.

Fall down.

-Mike

Is the "1982" your birth date, or the date you retired?


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## mattfin (Apr 16, 2007)

oldschool - Your recipe sounds neat, and I am thrilled to know there is a good sour mix available at Target of all places. However, your recipe seems very orange-oriented. Equal parts tequilla to orange liquers and then a load of orange juice. I am much more of a lime person myself in the flavors, and the lemon is only there in my recipe to help counteract the bitterness of too much lime, and the roses is there because it is basially a sweetening syrup that gives some lme flavor at the same time. 


This to me on the other hand goes too far in the opposite direction. I have had this style of margarita, and I find it way too bitter to be enjoyable as a drink. I love some good shots of tequilla - so no sugar there of course - but if I am going to have a refreshing margarita, I am going to put a little sugar in it if only to keep myself from puckering through the whole experience. You are made of tougher stuff than me castironchef! 

Thanks for the input people - it iss good to see some other directions that mamrgaritas can go in! Funny how much variation there is in what so many would consider to be a "standard" drink!


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I don't drink, so maybe I'm speaking from ignorance, however, it seems to me that, if you want a great Margarita, you'd want to use all fresh ingredients and pass up those mixes. Recently I saw a show about making mixed drinks, and all the bartenders used only fresh ingredients.

Comments?

Shel


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

Matt,

It may look like it has a huge orange over-tone but it really isn't in the taste. Most powdered mixes are heavy on the lime and that kinda carries thru plus with the addition of the fresh lemon and lime juices.....

Give it a shot and see. If it's too heavy on the orange for ya still just take out the triple sec. But then I would add more tequilla 

Found Dailey's pre-made mix to be not too bad. But it does need some thinning out with watre for my taste.


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## dmt (Jul 28, 2006)

Choices need to be made.
Do you want to spend more time screwing around with the perfect ingredients, or make drinks.
And in the case of most recipes that call for a mix, it's a volume issue, where the volume of the "mix" is enhanced by the addition of manageable quantities of fresh fruit.
Think about how many pieces of fruit you'd have to juice and strain to come up with 16 ounces of sweet & sour mix...
Just an opinion that it isn't always worth the rarely noticed effort to hang the "Exclusive" tag on a drink...


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## mattfin (Apr 16, 2007)

oldschool - indeed I will give your recipe a shot. I am looking for the best, and the only way to know that is to give everything a try. 

And yes, while it is better to have all fresh ingredients, I do likewise cringe at the thought of making my recipe above for 40 people. My arms would give out about halfway through the process, and so yes, I would need a shortcut of some kind with some mixes. While not as good, they are the only way to go when bulk is needed.


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