Worm Optional: 7 recipes for National Margarita Day

 

Dónde está my tanning butler? Neil Patrick Harris contemplates this
and other important questions over a margarita in Mexico.

Ever wonder how the margarita – that sweet tequila drink with a mean right hook – earned its name? Don’t bother checking Wikipedia, we already did.

While there’s no shortage of “Margaritas” for which this agave-based libation was named, we like the Santos Cruz story best. Santos, a bartender from Galveston, Texas crafted his version in 1948 for singer Peggy “Margaret” Lee. The smokey-piped songstress liked tequila but not the salt-and-lemon lick. Santos took a popular drink – the “Sidecar” – substituted tequila for brandy and rimmed the glass with salt. The rest is liquid legend.

In honor of National Margarita Day on February 22nd, Luxe Vivant asked 7 of the area’s top gastronomic hangouts for their favorite tequila-infused cocktails. Here’s what they sent us – let the fiesta-making begin.

GRAND CANYON MARGARITA at Cabo Flats

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz silver tequila
½ oz triple sec
1 oz prickly pear purée (available at specialty stores)
sour mix

Directions:
1. Fill shaker a third with ice and add tequila, triple sec, and prickly pear purée.
2. Top off with sour mix and shake.
3. Pour into a salt-rimmed margarita glass.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

Prefer a demo? Here, Cabo Flats bartender Chanel shakes up their specialty margarita (stop gawking, guys!).

CASA RITA at Cantina Laredo

Ingredients:
2 oz Reposado Tequila
¾ oz Cointreau
1½ oz fresh lime juice
1½ oz simple syrup*

Directions:
1. Shake ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice into salt rimmed glass.
2. Garnish with lime wedge.

*Simple Syrup Ingredients:
1 part sugar
1 part hot water

Simple Syrup Directions:
1. In a pan, bring water to a boil.
2. Pour sugar in and mix until completely dissolved.
3. Remove pan from heat. Let syrup cool and thicken.

Luxe Vivant Loves: In honor of National Margarita Day, Cantina Laredo will offer the Tres Amigos, a Casa Rita with a shot of Sauza Hornitos Silver and a Coronita attached to each side, for $8 (normally $12.25). Price available February 22-23 only.

ORGANIC MARGARITA at Guanabanas

Ingredients:
2 oz Republic Organic Silver Tequila (or another certified organic tequila)
½ oz organic agave nectar (available at specialty stores)
splash of organic lime juice (or juice from ½ of a lime)

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker (or pint glass). Add ice and shake.
2. Pour into a 16 oz glass and top with a water float.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

MARGARITA at HMF at The Breakers

Ingredients:
2 oz Patron Blanco Tequila
1 oz organic agave nectar
½ oz triple sec
tequila smoked salt (available at speciality stores)
fresh lime juice
lime wedge for garnish

Directions:
1. Pour tequila into a cocktail shaker along with agave nectar, triple sec and fresh squeezed lime juice.
2. Coat rim of margarita glass with agave nectar and rim with tequila smoked salt.
3. Fill shaker with ice and shake well.
4. Strain into a margarita glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

SPICY LOVER at Kapow! Noodle Bar

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Partida Reposado Tequila
1 oz agave
1 oz lime
2 cucumber slices
1 drop green pepper
cilantro bunch
cucumber slice, for garnish

Directions:
1. Muddle cucumber, cilantro, and agave.
2. Add remaining ingredients and shake well.
3. Strain into martini glass.
4. To release the oils, slap a piece of cilantro between your hand, then place on a cucumber.
5. Float cucumber on top.

ANTIOXIDANT MARGARITA at Rocco’s Tacos

Ingredients:
2 oz Maestro Dobel Diamond Tequila
1 oz Cedilla Acai Liqueur
2 oz fresh lime juice
½ oz agave nectar

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients and shake well.
2. Pour over ice into a margarita glass and serve.

CORONA-RITA at The Sandbar at Boston’s on the Beach

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Tequila Don Julio Reposado
¾ oz agave nectar
¾ oz fresh lime juice
dash of nutmeg
shaved ice
Bottle of Corona

Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker, pour the first three ingredients (do not pour beer into the shaker).
2. Shake vigorously then strain into a tall glass. Add shaved ice and nutmeg.
3. Top with Corona (or Corona Light) beer.

Recipes & photos courtesy of:

Cabo Flats
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens #5101, Palm Beach Gardens
(561) 624-0024

Cantina Laredo
4635 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens
(561) 622-1223

Guanabanas
960 N. Hwy. A1A, Jupiter
(561) 747-8878

HMF at The Breakers
1 S. County Road, Palm Beach
(561) 655-6611

Kapow! Noodle Bar
431 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
(561) 347-7322

Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar
5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton
(561) 416-2131

1313 E Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
(954) 524-9550

5090 PGA Blvd., PGA Commons, Palm Beach Gardens
(561) 623-0127

224 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach
(561) 650-1001

Sandbar at Boston’s on the Beach
40 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach
(561) 278-3364