Drink Rum

I think I'm the last of the margarita purists.

I was tinkering around with some recipes for tasty margaritas. For whatever reason I was determined to make a good mango margarita. I tried a couple of recipes. I tried using a new Cruzan Mango Rum instead of orange liquor. I tried using a bit of mango nectar instead of some lime juice. I tried a fresh made mango puree. I didn't get anything that I was tickled about, but I think with a few more tweeks I'll have it.

But I was prepping the recipe was a party I was going to. Because the recipe wasn't air tight, I decided I wasn't going to make any at the party... I'd just go with my basic margarita.

My margarita recipe varies depending on the weather (seriously). It's pretty simple. This part doesn't change:

2 Parts Tequila
1 Part Lime Juice (not Rose's or sweetened)
1 Part Orange Liquor

The recipe changes with the tequila and orange liquor. With the measures I use and lack of syrup, a good tequila is helpful here. Patron is the usual, but it doesn't have to be. It'll usually be whatever I have a lot of laying around. This weekend it was Patron.

The orange liquor is where most fights start. You've really got 3 choices... Triple Sec, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier.

If it's cold out... I like Grand Marnier. It's high proof makes the drink warmer and it doesn't mellow the tequila much, so it's a bit less smooth to drink. In cold weather, I like those characteristics. In warmer weather I like a lighter margarita. Cointreau is pretty good if you're a snob, but honestly... cheap-o Triple Sec works fine too. All you're really doing is mellowing the tequila. You're not making an orange-rita.

So the recipe for the party was going to be Patron, Lime Juice, and Cointreau. I didn't have any Triple Sec.

Nobody but me likes my recipe... which by the way, is THE traditional recipe for a margarita.

I don't freeze it or salt it.

When I was at the party and someone asked for margarita mix I winced. My drink became "Tequila & Lime" according to the crowd.

Oh well. I didn't push the traditional margarita on anyone else. If you're used to a syrup-filled fish bowl glass from Carlos O'Kelly's you're probably not going to like my drink.

I guess that's what people like now. Pyucky.

Oh well... I drank me a ton of Patron with limejuice.