So You Want My Secret Recipe?
Since folks frequently ask for it, and I don’t consider it any sort of secret, I’ve decided to post my favorite Margarita recipes.

Now my journey in getting this recipe was not a straight line. As a matter of fact, my first attempt at making a Margarita occurred when Lisa and I were dating. We were in the supermarket buying ingredients for a Mexican dinner, and talking about buying a Margarita mix. A man who heard us talking came over and suggested a recipe that he was fond of.

He said all you do is mix:
* One part Tequila
* One part Roses Lime
* One part Cointreau

He said you could pour it over ice if you wanted. I suggested that it sounded a little strong, and he said, “Sometimes the first one is a little rough, but by the second one…you’re okay.”

We tried it, and really - unless you’re 20 years old, at the bar with a fake ID and your college friends - it’s not drinkable. But we didn’t give up.

Over the years we’ve experimented with different Tequilas and seem to always come back to the same conclusion. When you mix Tequila with other flavorful ingredients, they pretty much all taste the same. If you’re really good, you might be able to taste the difference, but for the most part it is negligible. We did discover however that the cheaper Tequilas don’t like to be forgotten the next morning. Now I’m not saying that expensive Tequila won’t give you a hangover, but we believe that cheap stuff will give you a worse hangover.

This pretty much holds true for all the ingredients. You don’t have to buy that \\$75 bottle of Tequila that they keep behind the counter at the liquor store. (But if you do, let me know and I’ll mix you one of the finest Margaritas that either of us has ever tasted!) Go for something like my favorite, good old Jose Cuervo Gold.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you are going to use fruit, or fruit juice, fresh is always best. A lot of folks like to use RealLime juice in the concentrate bottle. Heck I use it a lot myself. But if you want your Margarita to be the best, use real limes.

One last thing, I think that drinks should have garnish. This is true for two reasons. One: I’m an old advertising guy, and a dressed up drink has sex appeal. And Two: some folks like to squeeze their garnish into the drink for added flavor. For this reason I suggest using a wedge of either lemon or lime and not some foo foo wheel, twist, slice or other useless configuration. If you want to give the wheel and the wedge then all the better, you’re covering reasons one and two.

And salt. Some folks like it, some folks don’t. Let them decide. If they want it, run a lime around the edge of their glass, then dip it into a saucer of salt – ‘nuf said.

Now with all that being said, here are the basic recipes that I use for my Margaritas.

One other thing... I'm a blender guy. I know some folks think that Frozen Margaritas are foo-foo. Well fine, that's your opinion and everyone has the right to their own opinion. And if you can't be tolerant of someone else's opinion, then maybe you should just move to Nevada. (Not to besmerch the good people who currently live in Nevada. We'll be glad to relocate you before the move-in.)

Recipe 1 – For the masses, you can’t go wrong.
This is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. It gives people what they want and expect. Most bars offer this basic mix on a regular basis.

* 4oz Jose Cuervo Tequila
* 4oz Triple Sec
* 1/2 of a large can of either lemonade or limeade
* Fill the blender with ice and blend

Recipe 2 – No one is driving home.
This used to be my basic mix, and many people would say, “Boy, that’s strong!” – wimps. But nowadays with people being so conscious about drinking and driving, I’ve scaled back to Recipe 1. Recipe 2 is best when you have guests staying overnight or walking home, or when you are sure that they are responsible.

* 6oz Jose Cuervo Tequila
* 4oz Triple Sec
* 2oz Lime Juice (fresh preferred, but suit yourself)
* 1/3 of a large can of either lemonade or limeade
* Fill the blender with ice and blend

Recipe 3 – All bets are off.
From here on, we are talking about more powerful recipes. These are the ones you want to do at the beach when everyone is either: staying in one house; walking home; or taking cabs wherever they are going. And in case you are wondering yes, that was a disclaimer.

* 6oz Jose Cuervo Tequila
* 4oz Triple Sec
* 2oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier (your choice)
* 2oz Lime Juice (fresh preferred, but suit yourself)
* 1/2 of a large can of either lemonade or limeade
* Fill the blender with as much ice as it will take and blend

Recipe 4 – The Experimental.
This is a recipe that I have not yet perfected. It is for the legendary “clear” Margarita. I know what ingredients I want to use, but I’m not yet sure of the proper mix. This is very similar to the original recipe that I received in the supermarket so many years ago, but I’m trying to tame it.

* Jose Cuervo Tequila
* Cointreau or Grand Marnier
* Rose’s Lime
* Crushed Ice
* Mix in a shaker and pour over cracked ice

Recipe 5 – possibly the result of the experimental.
This recipe is right off Jimmy Buffet’s webpage. He calls it the Perfect Margarita. I’ll have to give it a try some day. Of course if you want to invite yourself over here, or invite me there and partake in this experiment...

* Fill shaker with broken cubed ice
* Squeeze 2 fresh lime wedges into shaker
* Add 2 oz. of Margaritaville Tequila Oro
* Add 1/2 oz. Margaritaville Tequila Blanco (for bite if you wish)
* Add 1 1/4 oz. of Roses Lime Juice
* Add 1/2 oz. of Bols Triple Sec
* Add a splash of Bols Orange Curacao
* Cover shaker & shake vigorously
* Rim glass with lime peel and salt, add fresh ice
* Strain mixture over ice
* Squeeze in 1 lime wedge
* Enjoy

In case you were wondering, Jimmy Buffet did not invent the Margarita. No one is really sure who invented. Many people have claimed it, (I haven’t), but no one knows for sure where it came from. This link gives some of the most popular legends.

The following is a list of various ingredients that have been included in my Margaritas either as part of ther experimental process, or as an act of desperation. Feel free to either include them in your mix, or just laugh at my own folly.

Bananas
Banana Liquor
Bar Frothe
Blackberries
Blackberry Liquor
Blueberries
Cantalope
Icecream
Papaya
Popsicles/Push Pops
Powdered Sugar
Strawberries
Strawberry Syrup
Waterice
Zest (rinds)