The Legend of the Margarita

Several posts ago, I wrote about Tequila and gave you a “pea” size history on its’ origins and manufacturing and a recipe for Tequila Muffins. What I didn’t give you were these intriguing legends that I’ve found over the years about how the “margarita” originated. I’d like to share those with you now.

So far, I have found four different versions as to how the most popular tequila drink, the Margarita, was first created. If you know of another one, or know which one is the correct story, blog me and share it with us. Here goes:

1st version: There was a wealthy caballero who was totally consumed with the beauty of a young woman named Margarita. So, he had a drink created in her honor by the local bartender. Sadly, he woke one morning to find both Margarita and his money gone. Only her garter remained. ( Sounds iffy to me.)

2nd version: A man by the name of Francisco "Pancho" Morales is credited with the creation of the Margarita. It is said he first designed the drink in 1942. Presumably he was working at a place called Tommy's Bar when a woman came in and asked for a drink he had never heard of. Not wanting her to think of him as inept (and for fear of ruining his reputation as an excellent bartender), he conjured up a drink mixture of tequila, cointreau and lime juice. The woman loved it and asked Pancho for the name of the drink. He told her it was a Margarita. Pancho died in El Paso, 1997. This one sounds quite convincing.

3rd version: The Margarita was named for Margarita Sames of San Antonio. The drink was especially created for her for a Christmas party she was hosting in Acapulco in 1948.

4th version: The Margarita was named after Margorie King, a young actress. She reportedly could not drink any alcohol except tequila. The owner of Rancho La Gloria, Danny Herrera, created the drink so that Margorie would not seem unlady-like as to drink straight tequila. This was back in the late 1930's.

Most Expensive Tequila!

Dos Lunas Grand Reserve
$2,500/750 ml bottle

The most expensive tequila comes not from Mexico, but from Texas. It is distilled by the Dos Lunas distillery. The owner, Richard Poe, always said he wanted to make the world’s best tequila and he probably has.

The tequila is made from Jalisco’s best agave and is aged for 10 years in Spanish sherry casks. This particular brand is rare and only a reported 1,000 bottles have been made. Those still not sold are kept under lock and key, very safe, very secure.

An announcement was made in August of this year stating that “Dos Lunas Tequila Celebrates Its Third Year of Being Herbicide and Pesticide-Free.” Founder and CEO Richard C. Poe II made the announcement and said, “I am proud of Dos Lunas Tequila, not only because it is all natural and chemical-free but also because it continues to be a standout in terms of flavor and taste, and is undoubtedly the smoothest tequila on the market today".

El Paso’s own, Park Kerr, author, foodie, and part owner of the El Paso Chile Company, has authored two marvelous cookbooks about the “Margarita” and Tequila. They are named; Viva Margarita and El Paso Chile Company Margarita Cookbook. Just like Mexican Chocolate, where the uses are endless and its’ origins are from Mexico, Tequila recipes abound in Parks’ cookbooks. He offers recipes for Margaritas (of course) but also recipes for desserts and savory dishes as well. I have these books and I love using them not only for special occassions but also for everyday meals that you want to make special for someone. Think about getting his books, they sure would make a great Cristmas present for someone.


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Meanwhile, I will leave you with a few (7) margarita recipes of my own that you can enjoy.

7 Margarita Recipes for YOU

Margarita
Makes 1
1 slice of lime
Course salt
½ ounce fresh limejuice
1 ½ ounces tequila
½ ounce orange flavored liqueur
2 to 4 ice cubes
Rub the inside rim of the chilled glass with the slice of lime. Pour salt into a saucer and dip the glass until a thin layer of salt adheres to the moistened rim. Combine the limejuice, tequila, orange-flavored liqueur, and ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into the salt-rimmed glass. Makes one serving.

Margarita Sunrise
Makes 6
1 lime, cut in half
Granulated sugar
3 cups cracked ice
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 cup tequila
1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
Rub rims of 6 stemmed glasses with 1 lime half; dip rims of glasses into granulated sugar. Squeeze juice from both lime halves into blender. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and blend on high speed until foamy. Pour into glasses.

Jalapeño Margaritas
Makes 1
Steep jalapeño peppers in a sour mix (1 part sugar syrup and 1 part lemon juice). In a blender, mix your tequila, Triple Sec, sour mix, a dash of Tabasco Sauce. Garnish with a whole jalapeño and a slice of lime.

Chocolate Margarita
Makes 2
Chocolate Chipotle Powder, recipe follows
1½ ounces dark chocolate liqueur
1½ ounces chocolate vodka
1½ ounces tequila
1½ coffee flavor liqueur

Chocolate Chipotle Powder*
2 tablespoons Mexican Chocolate ground into powder
1-tablespoon ground chipotle powder (or red chile powder if you prefer)
Mix completely

Spread the Chocolate Chipotle Powder out on a large plate. Rim 2 (8-ounce) martini glasses by rolling the edge of each glass on a clean wet sponge, then rolling the edge over the powder. Tap the glass gently to knock off the extra powder. Pour the rest of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosty. Strain immediately into the glasses and serve.

Peach Margaritas
Makes 6
1 lime, cut in half
Granulated sugar
3 cups cracked ice
1 cup tequila
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ can (12-ounce size) frozen orchard peach juice concentrate, thawed
6 peach slices
Rub rims of 6 stemmed glasses with 1 lime half; dip rims of glasses into granulated sugar. Squeeze juice from both lime halves into blender. Add remaining ingredients except peach slices to blender. Cover and blend on high speed until foamy. Pour into glasses. Garnish with peach slices.

Lemony Margaritas
Makes 6-7
2 large lemons, cut in half
Coarse salt
2 cups cracked ice
1 ¼ cups tequila
1/3 cup triple sec
Rub rims of stemmed glasses with 1 lemon half; dip rims of glasses into coarse salt. Squeeze juice from lemon halves to measure ½ cup. Place lemon juice and remaining ingredients in blender container. Cover and blend on high speed until foamy. Pour into glasses.

Strawberry Margaritas
Makes 4
6 ounces tequila
2 ounces triple sec
8 ounces frozen strawberries
4 ounces frozen limeade concentrate
6 cups ice
Place ice in a blender and crush for 15 to 20 seconds. Add frozen strawberries, tequila, triple sec, and limeade. Blend until smooth.
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The Two Fisted Food Writer

There’s no doubt about it, I love cooking and eating. But I also love to read and write about food.

I keep my laptop in the dining room where I can be close to the kitchen. As I test or develop recipes, I usually go straight to the computer and make my notes. I also keep several composition books (the kind you can buy 2 for $1.00) on the table and a stack of sharpened #2 lead pencils close by just incase the computer goes down. There will be times when I’m cooking in the kitchen with a pencil in my mouth, or leaning over my laptop trying to input some notes one-handed because I’ve got a wooden spoon or potholder in the other.

For me, the two go hand-in-hand. Working on the Mexican American border food website I once had for seven years and the ensuing cookbook that developed from the website, I had to learn how to multitask. Developing, cooking, testing (and tasting), designing, inputting, photographing, uploading, downloading, looking up html codes, promoting, and praying. I guess it would have helped if I’d had the appendages of an octopus. Eight hands are better than two.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining; I loved it. Help from my family was always available but I tend to be OCD about my work and my passion. Looking back, perhaps I should have been more appreciative for the help instead of insisting that the tasks at hand be followed in a certain progessional line. Since those busy days in my life, I think I’ve learned to chill out a little and be more adventurous and think outside the box.

Having a successful food website and publishing a cookbook was an incredible feat. One that I believe would never have been accomplished if it hadn’t been for the invaluable assistance, through manual labor and moral support, from my husband and children (my daughter-in-law included).

So, if you’re thinking of starting your own website or wanting to publish a cookbook, go slowly. Begin with a homemade cookbook for your kids or maybe start a blog about cooking. And for Pete’s sake, never, never turn down any help you can get. Take it from someone who has Fibromyalgia and arthritis. The more hands you’ve got helping with the slicing and dicing, designing and inputting, the happier you’ll be. You can always go back and change what needs correcting. Because YOU are the head chef, and even Emeril has a staff.

Now, it’s time for a break. Let’s make a cup of Mexican Java and sit back and relax before you get up and start cooking again.

Mexican Coffee
(Makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on the size of cup)

½ cup ground coffee
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick broken in half
1 small (about 3-ounce) piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar but with a lot more molasses in it) cone, or
4 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

Place the coffee in a filter container of a drip-style pot. Scatter the cinnamon and brown sugar over the coffee. Brew with 4 cups of water.

If it’s evening or you just want a little zip in your coffee, add a half-ounce of Kahlua to each cup and maybe top off with a little whipped cream and some grated chocolate on top. ENJOY.