National Margarita Day & Margarita Recipes

Yes, seriously, there is a National Margarita Day, every year on Feb. 22! Wahoo a day to celebrate & drink one of my favorite cocktails, like I need an excuse to drink one! Those delicious margaritas are shaken up with so many different concoctions- Mango, jalapeno, strawberry, raspberry, watermelon-basil, and how bout those cornoritas, this is just a tiny list of those luscious cocktails! One main thing the best margaritas are made with fresh ingredients - no premix or that icky bottled margarita mixer & made with 100% agave blanco or reposado tequilla.

Lime Squeezer

If you don't have one, these lime squeezer are the best! Not just for margaritas, but anytime you need a lime squeezed or even small lemons. No seeds will get in.


Margaritas are so so easy to make - Here's a great recipe for your basic Lime Hand Shaken Margarita

2 oz.Blanco or Silver Tequilla (a good one)
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime, (usually that's about 1 whole lime)
1 oz. 100% Pure Blue Agave Nectar
Lime wedge, for rim rubbing
Kosher salt, for rim
Prep Glass; Whether you are using a traditional margarita glass or martini glass; take lime wedge & rub the rim of your glass. Put some kosher salt on a plate, & turn your glass upside down on it to coat.
Mix It:  Take a shaker, put in your tequilla, fresh lime juice & agave nectar. Fill shaker about half full of ice. Now shake it up about 15 sec. Strain into your prepped glass full of ice! Sometimes I put a little topper of seltzer on drink before serving.
Drink up! Sooo delicioso & fresh!  Makes 1 drink.
* Best ice to use is small or broken cubes (sorry pic above does not show that)
*To spice up your margarita, you can add a few sprinkles of cayenne pepper to your salt for your rims!

Sure you guys know, there are so many wonderful margaritas out there, we all have our fave places to go to get your margarita fix! Chef Rick Bayless, owner of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, XOCO, Tortas Frontera &Frontera Fresco, also is the creator of Frontera gourmet foods & did I mention 8 cookbooks! Besides all this he makes a terrific margarita at his restaurants. This is Rick Bayless' table side margarita recipe

Rick Bayless' Topolo Margarita

3/4 c. fresh lime juice, about 3 large limes                          1c. plus 2 Tbsp. blanco tequilla

6 Tbsp. sugar                                                                    1/4 c. Gran Torres orange liqueur

1 c. water                                                                           Lime wedges & coarse salt

Make Limeade: Combine lime juice, sugar and water in a pitcher. Cover & refrigerate if not using right away (no longer than 24 hr)

To Serve: Add tequilla & orange liqueur to the pitcher of limeade. Rub rims of martini glasses with a lime wedge, dip in a dish of coarse salt. In a large shaker, combine half of the margarita mixture w/ half of ice , shake 15-20 sec. Strain into prepared glasses. Repeat w/ rest of ingredients.       Serves 6

Barbakoa House Margarita

This was a kick ass margarita served at Barbakoa Modern Latin Restaurantt, Downers Grove, Il. Instead of salt on the rim, they had one big swoop of salt on the side of the glass. Wasn't sure what you were suppose to do with it, so just went for it, did a big lick up the glass, and took a drink! Damn it was good! Barbakoa makes their House Margarita with hand squeezed lime, organic agave nectar, bourbon barrel aged 100% de Agave Tequilla D'Oro.

El Carmen Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA, have been serving up margaritas a long time. Pretty sure they know about margaritas; they offer over 420 kinds of tequilla! This one sounded really bueno - the Cilantro Ginger Margarita- shaken up with Tonala Reposado, Ginger Liqueur, Agave Syrup, Fresh Lime muddled
w/ Fresh Cilantro. Served on the rocks.

Pretty Petal Pusher

Think this is the prettiest margaritas I've ever seen! This is Colleen Mullaney's margarita recipe

Pretty Petal Pusher

4 oz tequilla                                                                     4 oz. pear nectar

4 oz Lanique rose petal liqueur                                         1 lime, squeezed

In a cocktail shaker filled w/ ice, pour all ingredients & shake well. Let stand to chill, up to 5 min. Strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with an edible flower, such as a pansy.

Saw this margarita recipe on a spirit website- looked too good not to share

Berry Delicious Margarita

Blend 8 oz. Silver Tequilla, 4 oz Chambord Liqueur, 4 oz. Limoncello, 1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice, 2 c. mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, & Strawberries) in a blender with 3 c. crushed ice. Pour into 4 margarita glasses rimmed with sugar.

Don Julio's Jalapeno Margarita

1 1/2 oz Don Julio Reposado Tequilla                                    1/2 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur

1 oz. fresh lime juice                                                             Splash of agave nectar

1 jalapeno pepper, muddled                                                  1 Jalapeno pepper for garnish

In a shaker muddle the jalapeno. Add to shaker rest of ingredients with ice. Shake well. Strain into a highball glass over ice. Garnish with the jalapeno pepper.

*Depending who you are serving this to & if they can take the heat, you might consider taking out a few of the seeds from the jalapenos! 

Recipe didn't call for it, but for sure, this chick would add salt to the rim!

Lots of specials going on out there, Sat Feb 22, for National Margarita Day - On The Border Restaurant  is serving their 12 oz House Margarita for $1.00! Or you might head over to  Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville 3PM-4PM- having a complimentary margarita making class, then 5'o clock (somewhere) will have a toast to the official beverage of Margaritaville "The Margarita"!
So whether you like your margaritas on the rocks or frozen; go out & enjoy a margarita (or 2), or even stay home & shake up one of these fabuloso margaritas, Feb. 22 National Margarita Day!

This chick loves National Margarita Day & loves these margarita recipes!