11 Fun Facts About Margaritas
While there is a myriad of drinks available out there, only a handful can truly be considered universally known. Of these, the margarita is perhaps the most popular and associated with having a good time. Listed below, we’ve compiled a few facts about this all-time favorite that you can share the next time you are kicking back a few with friends.
What’s in a Name
Margarita means ‘Daisy’ in Spanish. The daisy was an old prohibition drink consisting of some kind of spirit mixed with sugar and a sour component. It has been theorized that the Margarita is essentially a daisy with a tequila base.
Be Salty
The characteristic salt on the rim of a margarita serves more of a purpose than just appearance. Salt helps to suppress the bitter components of the drink and enhance the sweet and sour aspects.
Origin Story
No one is entirely sure where the drink began. One story is that a man named Danny Herrera made the drink in his Tijuana restaurant in the ’30s. One of his showgirls, a Marjorie King, could not drink any hard liquor aside from tequila and she requested a cocktail made from it. Legend has it that he created the drink and named it after her (Margarita being a Spanish variant of Marjorie).
Everybody Loves Them
In 2008, Margaritas were the most ordered mixed drink in the United States. On average, Americans consume 185,000 margaritas an hour.
Keeping it Cool
In the early ’70s, a young restauranteur in Dallas was inspired by a Slurpee soft-serve ice cream machine at a 7-Eleven. Mariano Martinez purchased one and modified it to produce frozen margaritas. The drinks were a massive success and have become a staple around the country today.
Variety is the Spice of Life
While the original recipe is simply tequila, Cointreau, lime, and salt, there have been numerous variants created. Tropical fruits are popular, with mangos and pineapples making a frequent appearance, while different garnishes like sage or coriander add a little spice.
Competitive Edge
Every year, the Tucson Originals and the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance host the World Margarita Championship. Bartenders from across Arizona compete to see who makes the best margarita, with visitors choosing a People’s Choice winner. Unofficial competitions also take place across the country, as bartenders attempt to create some kind of wacky variation.
Like A Margarita with Earrings
The Iron Cactus, located in Austin, Texas, offered a $30,000 cocktail that came with complimentary diamond earrings.
Or a $1200 Value
A bar in Manhattan, the 230 FIFTH, offered a frozen margarita made from the most expensive ingredients imaginable: from tequila priced at $1800 a bottle, to ice made from $450/bottle Cristal champagne, all poured into a Ralph Lauren hand-blown Hungarian crystal glass. The deliciously decadent offering saw half the proceeds given to charity.
How About a Giant Margarita?
The Margaritaville Casino, based in Las Vegas’s Flamingo Hotel, broke the record for largest margarita in the world. Checking in at 8500 gallons and stored in a 17-foot-tall tank, the enormous cocktail took 60 people 300 hours to create. The “Lucky Rita”, as she came to be known, celebrated the opening of the casino in 2011.
Fried Margarita?
State Fairs are renowned for their ability to fry up anything and margaritas are apparently no exception. Served at the Texas State Fair, the ‘drink’ consists of funnel cake batter mixed in a margarita machine, fried and then soaked in additional margarita solution. The result is then served in a salt-rimmed glass and topped with whipped cream.
Armed with this new information, you can now make confident small-talk about everyone’s favorite cocktail. Now, if you are looking to try the best margaritas in Sarasota, you need to get down to Jalisco Mexican Grill. We are located at 8389 S Tamiami Trail and we’ll be waiting with the good stuff. See you then!
