Let’s Goyang!

Every Margarita aficionado will have his/her own version of the perfect Margarita. That’s why in my opinion there is no such thing as the perfect Margarita.

And despite the fact that it traditionally consists of only three ingredients (Tequila, Triple-sec and lime juice) and a salt garnish, there are some bartenders who really screw up this drink.

Its all about the balance of the ingredients. Some prefer more Tequila, others prefer more Triple-sec or lime juice. Some even prefer not to have any salt.

But enough talk.

Here I will show you the way that I like it, with a little molecular twist to the salt garnish. To be honest, I’m still working on my Margarita recipe. Although its very good, I must admit I don’t think its quite ‘there’ yet.

I’m the sort of person who likes minimal salt to go with the Margarita. In fact, if its made with really good quality Tequila, I don’t think it needs any salt at all. The salt helps to counteract the sulfuric taste in Tequila, which is more evident in lower-end Tequilas. A salt foam is perfect, because you get to control precisely how much salt you want lingering in your mouth when you take a sip of your Margarita.

Margarita Ingredients:

• 45ml Don Julio 100% Agave Tequila Reposado
• 15ml Cointreau (or Triple-sec)
• 15ml Grand Marnier
• 30ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon of maple syrup

Method:

• Place all ingredients in a shaker with plenty of ice. Give it a good hard shake until the shaker is cold and frosty.
• Strain into a glass half-filled with fresh ice-cubes.
• Garnish with a lime wedge (this is important because it allows the drinker to squeeze more lime juice into the drink if he or she desires)
• If you’re new to bartending, check out the basics in the Bartender’s Handbook.

Sea-salt Foam Ingredients:

• 1 fresh egg white
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Juice from one fresh lime wedge

Method:

• Using a electric mixer, mix all the ingredients in a bowl until soft peaks form.
• Serve on small saucers together with the Margarita.

There you have it. That’s how I make my Margaritas!

Personally, I think using a Blanco Tequila (unaged) would be better because it will match with the fruitiness of the lime and Orange liquers. But using Reposado as I’ve done is also good. It gives the drink a more complex character and a smooth finish.

Traditionally no sugar or sweeteners are used aside from Triple-sec. But here I’ve used maple syrup as a sweetener. Sugar will round up the drink better, and I’ve used maple syrup because I just think it goes well with tequila. But you can just use plain sugar syrup.

In Molecular Mixology, foams are used quite often. But they are usually made with gelatine, egg whites and a N2o whip-cream canister and dispenser.

I don’t have the luxury of such fancy items. So I made do by whisking egg whites. It works, and anyone can do it at home or in a bar!

Cheers!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 29th, 2006 at 3:20 pm and is filed under Cocktails. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.