The Perfect Margarita

Margaritas are the perfect drink. A delicate blend of sweet, sour and salty all in a one glass.

I have tasted many margaritas. Flavored, frozen, shaken and strained, over ice… some good, some bad, and some really really bad.

Some would argue that it’s the tequila that matters. Me? Well, I disagree. I believe it’s the limes that make the difference. Use freshly squeezed lime juice and I guarantee that you will have a fine margarita. Use the best tequila with powdered or bottled “margarita mix” and, well, you might find that you should have just drunk the tequila from the bottle.

Another factor that makes a big difference is the balance of sweet and sour. If you use too much sugar, you end up with a syrup, watery mess.

Finally, no need for a thick rim of kosher salt. Just a thin rimmed or half rimmed glass is enough.

When you get the right balance, a margarita is perfection in a glass. If you mess it up, well, it can be really, really disappointing. So, follow this recipe to make the perfect margarita. I also use some lime zest, to give my margaritas an extra little kick!

The Perfect Margarita
Makes 2 on the Rocks

Juice of 3 large limes
Zest of 2 large limes (save a little for garnish)
50 ml Tequila
25 ml Grand Marnier
15 ml Simple Syrup
Ice cubes
Salt for rim

To a cocktail shaker, add the lime juice, zest, tequila, grand marnier, and simple syrup. Fill the shaker with ice and shake until cold.

Rim 2 glasses with salt by dipping the rim of the glasses first in lime juice, then in kosher salt. Shake to remove excess salt.

Pour the margaritas with the ice into the 2 glasses. Garnish with some fresh lime zest.