Hey, Margarita!
When I ask Eva Verdin of Old Juan’s Cantina in Oceano if she knows the history of the margarita, she offers the most creative version I have heard yet. “I heard John Wayne invented the margarita at a party he was having — I think in Mexico,” she says, laughing. But she can’t pinpoint what year.
And a few towns over, Leonard Cohen, owner of San Luis Obispo’s La Esquina Taqueria, is so sure of the year that he named their “skinny” margarita the “Original 1941,” after it.
Sometime, somewhere, someone invented the margarita. But your best guess as to when and where, or who dreamed up this delightfully tart and satisfying drink, is just about as good as anyone’s. It’s a classic refreshment with sweet and sour roots stretching as far back as the late 1930s — at least according to some.
The most widely accepted rumor is that the margarita was concocted by Dallas socialite Margaret “Margarita” Sames in 1948, which was quite the year in U.S. history. The first color reel was shot in Pasadena, NASCAR was incorporated and Herb H. Hoover became the first civilian to exceed the speed of sound at Edwards AFB in California. And in Acapulco, on a ritzy Mexican vacation, experimental Marge and her similarly wealthy friends were just dying for a tequila.
According to Anthony Dias Blue’s The Complete Book of Spirits, though, America’s first importer of Jose Cuervo used the tagline “Margarita: it’s more than a girl’s name” three years earlier, in 1945. So, really, who knows? At Nipomo restaurant and tequila bar Las Cazuelas, owner Silvano Luna thinks the looming questions about America’s favorite drink are a good thing. “I think that gives it more mystique,” he says.
Although little about this legendary beverage’s origin can be verified, the simple ingredients mixed together at its inception remain unchanged today: tequila, Triple Sec or Cointreau, lime juice and salt around the glass rim. At Old Juan’s, La Esquina and Las Cazuelas, three establishments that together move hundreds of margarita per day when not under COVID restrictions, have taken the classic tequila margarita to the next level. Here are their notes for a top-shelf experience.
Quality is king
Leonard, Silvano and Eva agree: avoid low-quality tequila — and quality doesn’t have to mean expensive. Start with a bottle of 100% blue agave, silver (or “blanco”) tequila, and one is halfway there. And though Las Cazuelas diners can customize their various libations with more than 60 different tequilas from reposado to añejo, Silvano says blanco is made for mixing.“Blanco all the way,” he says, with conviction.
Las Cazuelas’ margaritas start with 100 percent blue agave and high-quality tequila; Silvano Luna says silver or “blanco” tequila is a perfect choice for margaritas
Make it fresh, make it different
A classic margarita is perfect any time of year. The next step is to stay aligned with the seasons to discover ripe fruits and even hot peppers that open the door to a myriad of flavor combinations. This fiesta-in-a-glass cocktail is as adaptable as the mixologist is creative.
At La Esquina the flavor combinations are accentuated by the house-made simple syrup, and the freshly squeezed lemon and lime. Old Juan’s bartender Kyle Batty says his favorite of the more than 20 margaritas on the menu is their Strawberry Jalapeño made with a fresh fruit purée. And Eva imparts the spice and flavor of jalapeños in as little as five to 30 minutes prior to serving. The mad scientist bartenders at all three establishments infuse the silver tequila with everything from orange peels to mango chunks.
Their recommendations for home infusion is to slice fruits and add them to a full container of tequila before storing it in a dark area for one to two weeks. Be sure to strain the seeds and fruit before mixing.
Shaken. Never stirred
In 2005, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History acquired the first-ever frozen margarita machine, invented by Texan Mariano Martinez in 1971. The machine has been a staple at establishments to add a fun and quirky vibe. At La Esquina though, such an appliance is nowhere to be found. The way to a cool margarita is all in the wrist.
Add ingredients to a shaker with ice, shake well and strain into a glass. Leonard is adamant: “Definitely shake!” Shaking will help all parts to mix thoroughly, and the added air will open up the flavors and pour out a lovely foam finish.
Serve it right
A chilled glass is excellent, and serving margaritas extra cold in“cantarito mugs is the Las Cazuelas way. The traditional terra cotta pot-like vessel, also known as a jarrito, ensures a drink will stay cold to the last sip, without watering down.
And, hot food always pairs well with a cold cocktail. Eva’s go-to margarita complement at Old Juan’s is grilled fish tacos. At La Esquina, it’s an order of nachos or bacon-wrapped taquitos — snacks with just a hint of saltiness. For a more traditional combo, warm, soft tortillas and a margarita do the trick.
Order out
For those like Margaret Sames and company, preferring to hang by the pool while the professionals handle the mixing, these SLO County margarita bosses can keep them coming. In March 2020, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control began allowing restaurants to sell beer, wine and pre-mixed drinks or cocktails for delivery or pickup (with conditions). Since then, Silvano estimates that nearly 75 percent of Las Cazuelas’ take-out orders include at least one of their $5 Cazuelas Cadillac margaritas. And Old Juan’s started pouring for takeout within hours of learning of California’s COVID-19 restaurant restrictions, and patrons love it. Fingers crossed that to-go margaritas and tequila flights are here to stay.
So whether blended or on the rocks, made at home or by the aficionados at one of these hotspots, the margarita is always a good idea. And if you’re creative enough, you can claim you invented one, too.
