(photo courtesy La Posta de Mesilla)
National Margarita day is upon us once again on Monday, February 22! And while it may not be as celebrated as holidays like St. Patrick's day or even Valentine's day, it is still a day to be celebrated.
So where exactly did this timeless classic come from? The truth is, no one really knows. The claims vary in both location and time...
One of the oldest dates back to 1938 when it is claimed that Carlos "Danny" Herrera created the cocktail while working in his Tijuana Mexico restaurant "Rancho La Gloria". The story goes that "Danny" created the Margarita for aspiring actress Marjorie King, who was allergic to all alcohol except Tequila. Modeling the drink after the traditional tequila shot -- salt, lime and tequila -- he created it to meet his customer's fussy palate and dietary needs.
Another claim states that is was created ten years later, in 1948, by Dallas Texas native and socialite Margarita Sames. While entertaining friends at her Acapulco vacation home she whipped up the concoction on a whim and served it to her guests. Present was none other than Tommy Hilton -- Hilton Hotels -- who liked the drink so much he began featuring it at his hotel bars.
And yet another one, and one close to our hearts since it occurred in a place near and dear to us, reportedly took place in Juarez Mexico where the drink was created in the Kentucky Club by Lorenzo "Lencho" Hernandez sometime in the late 30s.
Lorenzo "Lencho" Hernandez (photo by Clint Lanier and Derek Hembree)
Little additional information exists on this claim to the creation but the bar it was allegedly created in still stands today. Here's a link to an article on the bar...
In the end it truly doesn't matter where the drink was created. What really matters is that today, of all days, you raise your glass -- hopefully full of a classic margarita (recipe below)--to the cocktail with the distorted past that helped put tequila on the map and keeps us cool and happy in the blistering sun we so miss this time of year. Cheers to National Margarita Day!
Classic Margarita Recipe
- 2 Oz. Tequila Of Your Choice
- 1 Oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 1 Oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Salt
- Lime Wedge
Place all ingredients (except salt and lime wedge) into a shaker full of ice and shake. Use lime wedge to moisten rim of glass and, holding glass upside down, rim glass with salt. Strain ingredients into glass and garnish with lime. Now, the easy part... enjoy!!!