February 22nd is National Margarita Day, what better way to celebrate than with a fresh spicy margarita.
Margarita History
There is not a clear story of who invented the beloved margarita. One story claims it was created for a showgirl by a Mexican restaurant owner in 1938 by the name of Carlos (Danny) Herrera. Another story claims it was a Texas socialite who made the drink for a party in 1948. Whomever the original creator, margaritas began their popularity in the 1950s. The original margaritas were on the rocks, until the 1950s when people started blending them into the frozen cocktails you see today at the local Mexican restaurant. The popularity of the frozen margarita really exploded in the 1970s when a restaurateur, Mario Martinez, invented the frozen margarita machine.
Rimming a Glass
Rimming your cocktail glass is obviously optional, but it just makes me feel a little fancier when I do take the time to rim the glass. I like using the Cocktail Rimmer, it just makes this process flawless. Options for the rim include salt, tajin, sugar, sprinkles, and edible glitter. Be creative, the more fun the rim, the more fun the drink. Just take a fruit wedge and run it over the rim and then put your glass edge in the tray and turn it. You can also use simple syrup, agave, honey, caramel, or chocolate sauce for the rim before you add the dry ingredients. Have fun with it!
Sweetener Options
When it comes to margaritas, I prefer to use agave for my sweetener. However, you can always use fresh orange juice or simple syrup. For a spicier margarita you can also make a jalapeno simple syrup. Infusing simple syrups are a great way to increase the flavor of a drink. Making a flavored simple syrup only takes a few minutes, just boil 1 cup of water to 1 cup of sugar and mix in your rosemary, lavender, or jalapenos. Let your syrup cool and put in a jar to use in your cocktails.
Which Tequila Do I Use for a Margarita?
While the tequila you choose will come down to personal preference, many are made with a blanco tequila. I personally always choose a silver tequila which is blended with agave and other sugars before being barrel aged for 2 months. No matter which tequila you prefer, your margarita will still be delicious.
How to Make a Spicy Margarita
For a spicy margarita, I like to use fresh squeezed lime juice, agave, triple sec or orange juice, and slices of fresh jalapeno. I like my margarita on the rocks, so I just throw all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice, shake and pour. Save a few jalapeno slices to drop in the margarita at the end for garnish and flavor. If you want to intensify the spice you could also muddle the jalapeno slices as well before shaking. Personally, I just like a hint of heat, so I just drop mine in the shaker and glass. Pour the contents of the shaker into a rimmed glass and enjoy!
[[ recipeID=recipe-8ledkj3nt, title=Spicy Margarita ]]