Tequila and the Mexico Robert's Margarita

I know what your going to say...we ALL have a tequila story. Mine was the night of Princess Diana's funeral. The less said the better, just substitute my name for yours in your story and there you have it.

I didn't drink tequila for a very long time afterwards. This seems to be a trend after a wild night with tequila. But one night in Mexico and a little gentle prodding I ventured to sample this beverage again. Much to my delight there are better tequilas than I experienced and better ways to mix it too. The first night I had the best margarita I ever had. It was also just the second in my life since the first one was so terrible. I made it my mission to sample as many different establishment's version of a lime margarita while in Mexico. Wow. They are not all the same!

On returning to Canada my mission changed to make a copy of the best margarita I had tasted. I only used fresh ingredients and good tequila, I brought home a bottle of Don Julio Blanco. I started with the classic recipe but that wasn't it. Needless to say there were multiple attempts over several months. Then I found the way that suits my taste. On returning to Mexico I can't find anything that is as good as my version now. Although that doesn't stop me from enjoying the odd one while I'm there.

Mexico Robert's Margarita 

Ingredients:

2 parts Don Julio Blanco tequila (or the best you can afford)

1.25 parts Cointreau

2 parts fresh squeezed lime juice

Course salt (salt fleur de sel, you may want to mortar a little to have some fine grains too)

Ice

Directions:

1. Chill glass in freezer

2. Squeeze lime and reserve a used lime skin

3. Combine lime, tequila and Cointreau and mix together (shake or stir depending on your double Oh status aka 007)

4. Put salt on a small plate

5. Rim glass with used lime skin (or you can use a wedge)

6. Salt rim of glass by tipping glass upside down on salted plate

7. Fill glass with ice. Lots of ice- really, lots. Like my friend said about drinks in Puerto Rico: there needs to be enough ice that the glass is full and the weight of the ice keeps it from floating.

8. Pour in the tequila mixture.

9. Garnish with a lime wedge

10. Drink--responsibly!

For Lesli's Birthday party I premixed 7 litres in a water dispenser to save on mixing time. If you wanted I'm sure you could mix up a large batch and keep it in the fridge for a while. Instead of beer on tap more of a margarita on demand. But then again the ritual of making the drink is half the fun.

Tequila Guide

For those of you new to tequila here are some guidelines.

1. Blanco is aged for one year and is for mixing in beverages.

2. Reposado is aged two years and is usually served for "shots" although you might sip a particularly good one like "Casamigos Reposado" which has a beautiful vanilla flavour

3. Anejo is aged three years and is the sipping type drink you might enjoy like a fine scotch, some of my favourites are: From the less expensive end: Cazadores Anejo, middle: 1800 anejo; higher: Aha Toro aniejo

4. Extra Anejo is aged four years and is even smoother usually. Also more expensive. The most unusual and tasty one I've ever had is Cava de Oro extra anejo It is like a desert wine crossed with port: a great after dinner drink to sip. Grand Mayan anejo is another that is very smooth that I had given to me for my birthday that is wonderful!

Grand Mayan Ultra Anejo

Tequila is a very fine clean drink that is good for anyone that has hay fever and wants to stay away from the sugary side effects of scotch or bourbon.  Enjoy responsibly though ;)