She may not have the sophisticated air of a martini…she may lack the masculine appeal of a beer…but this south-of-the-border sweetie has cornered the market on fun-loving, summer refreshment. The festive Margarita is the cool beverage of choice when the weather turns hot, hot, hot.
Fortunately, margarita season begins well before you can appropriately wear white pants. As long as the weather is warm, this drink is there to deliver a frosty sensation, and is known for holding on to its chill longer than the more pedestrian martini or beer.
The classic margarita is delivered on the rocks; a basic mix of tequila, triple sec and lime juice served in a salt rimmed glass (or not, if you’re a Mezcal fan and choose to savor the flavor). The drink, in its various forms, has been around since the 1930s, and while we can’t be certain of its origins, we do know a bit about its evolution into the delightful, adult version of a Slushee that has induced many a brain-freeze.
A Dallas restaurant owner named Mariano Martinez invented the frozen margarita machine in 1971, and the prototype is now on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, alongside such wonders of modern technology as Tupperware and the Krispy Kreme Ring King.
Whether frozen, on the rocks or straight up, one of the beauties of the margarita is her adaptability. Aficionados love to play with variations on the theme.
Asheville resident Dema Badr who, along with her co-host, Guadalupe Chavarria, is famous for her Cinco de Mayo gatherings, has a preference for strawberries. “Start out making something healthy with lots of fresh berry fruit,” Dema advises, “and then interfere with it the best you can with lots of good quality tequila and triple-sec!”
Fresh ingredients are crucial for a well-crafted “Rita,” as Catie Conroy, head bartender at Limones on Eagle Street in Asheville, can attest. Most Saturday evenings find her juicing an incomprehensible number of limes with a dependable Waring citrus juicer. “It’s actually our third juicer, we have worn out two others over time,” she reveals. “Fresh lime juice is essential. I never use a mix, and so a weekend night calls for about two gallons.”
Highly regarded by locals for its classy California-Mexican cuisine, Limones boasts an impressive list of “Bebidas Especiales” — some very special margaritas. They are not all pale-green goddesses, either. Limones takes the basic formula and employs several creative expressions — with berries, mango, blood orange, hibiscus flower, and even hot pepper.
Particularly interesting are the Pomegranate Margarita, made with premium tequila and Grand Marnier, served with sugar on the rim, and the Jamaica Margarita, featuring hibiscus flower water.
But plain or fancy, the margarita retains her intoxicating appeal. Dress her up, dress her down — you can still take her anywhere…from brunch to poolside to a spicy Tex-Mex dinner. Whenever the temperature — or the party — is muy caliente, the margarita is the perfect companion. Una bebida muy sabrosa…Viva la Margarita!
< style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Limones13 Eagle Street, Asheville
828-252-2327
