Christmas and cocktails were made for each other! The party season is on the horizon and frozen drinks have never been as popular as they are right now. Read how to build the ‘perfect’ Frozen Margarita…
It’s generally agreed that the components of a ‘Classic’ Margarita are tequila, triple sec, and fresh lime juice. The secret to a great Margarita is proportions; balance accounts for the difference between a good drink and a bad one.
Drinks, like food are subject to personal opinion – there’s never a perfect recipe which suits every palette but following our last staff party the recipe below is a good one! It goes like this:
For one long drink
1 1/2 oz. Good Quality Tequila (100% agave) – Jose Cuervo Silver for example
1 1/2 oz. triple sec or Cointreau
1 to 1 1/4 oz. of lime juice
Salt for the rim of the glass
7 oz. shaved ice
(blended through a Taylor SB2150 blender)
Measure all of the ingredients into your blender jug. Place in your SB2150 shaved ice blender and blend for 9 seconds. Pour the perfectly blended Margarita into a classic Margarita glass or “up” into a high ball glass. A salted rim and a slice of lime as a garnish, while not strictly necessary, is a classy touch.
This Margarita recipe works well as an accompaniment to food as opposed to a stand-alone cocktail; the tequila should be dialled back into harmonious equilibrium with the other ingredients for a more quaff-able potion. For the strictly cocktail only connoisseur, a more assertive, tequila-forward mix may be preferred.
A few notes on the ingredients…
TEQUILA
Since the principal flavour of the Margarita is the tequila, it’s important to make sure you’ve got the best stuff you can get your hands on, so look for the “100% de agave” legend on the label of your bottle. If it isn’t there, then potentially up to 49% of your tequila is actually fermented cane sugar. And don’t let the “gold” in the name or in the liquid fool you. Its caramel colouring added to make the colourless tequila more appealing. The best Tequila is a 100% agave tequila that has been aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two months (and up to a year). Unlike the “silver” tequilas, it has a mellower flavour.
TRIPLE SEC vs. COINTREAU
Triple sec or Cointreau? Triple sec is a liqueur made from the skins of oranges, it can range in alcohol content from 15% to 30%, depending on the brand. Cointreau is an orange liqueur made from sweet and bitter orange skins, is stronger, at 40%. In a margarita the flavours are quite similar; it really comes down to how “boozy” you want your drink to taste or whatever you have in the cabinet!
LIMES
Unlike the reliable lemon (which can be substituted in a pinch, at the higher quantity), the flavour of limes can vary considerably depending on the variety, season, weather, and origin. You should taste your lime juice first before you mix your drink. If you have an aggressively sour, caustic batch of the stuff, use the smaller quantity. The addition of lime should be a refreshing one, not something to make your throat burn.
If you’re like me and struggle to plan these things in advance or the thought of squeezing a load of limes doesn’t appeal! Simply having a bottle of margarita mix and some tequila makes a perfectly serviceable drink – especially at the office Christmas party!
For more information on Taylor frozen drinks machines or any of the other great products supplied by Taylor UK, call the Taylor UK Sales Hotline FREE on 0800 838 896 or e-mail us at sales@taylor-company.co.uk
