Alcohology - "The Margarita"

Unearth the captivating stories behind one of the world's favorite cocktails, the margarita, and dive into its rich, flavorful history. Discover how the delicious pairing of tequila and lime captured hearts and palates worldwide as the margarita rose to iconic status alongside tequila's growing popularity in the United States.

But what about that distinctive glass? Could a mishap at a Los Angeles restaurant have given birth to the classic margarita glass, or is Marie Antoinette's bosom? Finally, fast forward to 1971, when Mariano Martinez drew inspiration by a humble soft-serve ice cream dispenser to create a frozen classic. As we toast to the margarita's legacy, be ready with your ingredients for our special recipe reveal at the end—perfect for sipping along and celebrating this beloved cocktail's storied past.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:37 Origins of the Margarita
• 3:33 The Margarita Glass
• 4:37 The Frozen Margarita
• 5:51 Wrap-up and Podcast Information

Transcript

Matt: 1:02

Welcome back to Matt and Friends. Drink the Universe. In just five minutes we're going to go on a well-blended journey through the history of one of the world's most beloved cocktails, the margarita, and stick around at the end for a quick recipe so you can sip along with us. Welcome back to Alkohology. I wonder why they call it a cocktail. Yes, I'd like to know more about the Venus Vinifera. I'm very interested in the terroir. We talking about two carbon, six hydrogen and one oxygen atom. We talking about ethyl alcohol. This episode, the Margarita.

Matt: 1:37

The Margarita is a drink that's as surprisingly mysterious as it is delicious. There are many stories and theories for how this drink originated, so let's explore a few. First we have Carlos Dani Herrera. In 1938, at his restaurant Rancho La Gloria, located between Tijuana and Rosarito, he supposedly created the drink for actress Marjorie King. She was allergic to most spirits except tequila, but found it too strong to drink straight. The story goes that Herrera mixed tequila, lime juice and orange liqueur, serving it with a salted rim.

Matt: 2:08

Another popular story is that Margarita Sámez, a wealthy socialite in Acapulco, claimed to have invented the drink in 1948. She mixed tequila, contrail and lime juice during a party. The story goes that the cocktail recipe was spread by some of her and her husband's famous friends and party guests, who included hotelier Nick Hilton, tale of the Cock owner Sheldon McHenry, hotel Bel-Air owner Joseph Drown and movie stars like Lana Turner and John Wayne. Supposedly, their friends took the cocktail all over the world and subsequently served the drink in their hotels and restaurants. Then there's the Daisy Cocktail Theory. Cocktail historian David Wondritz says the margarita derives from a Prohibition cocktail called the Brandy Daisy. The Brandy Daisy is made with a base of brandy, citrus and orange liqueur. Interestingly, margarita means daisy in Spanish. Swapping brandy for tequila and sugar for salt in Mexico may have created what we now call the Margarita. Other contenders include Don Carlos Orozco at Husong's Cantina in Ensenada, who supposedly named the drink after Margarita Henkel, the daughter of a German ambassador. Other contenders include Don Carlos Orozco at Husong's Cantina in Ensenada, who supposedly named the drink after Margarita Henkel. Margarita Henkel was the daughter of a German ambassador. And let's not forget Francisco Pancho Morales, who claimed to have improvised the recipe at Tommy's Place in Ciudad Juarez in 1942. What's certain is that tequila and lime were destined to come together. The Margarita's rise mirrors tequila's growing popularity in the US, turning the drink into a global icon.

Matt: 3:45

Let's talk for a moment about the unmistakable Margarita Glass. Its design isn't just functional, it's part of the drink's identity. The origin of the iconic Margarita Glass is also somewhat steeped in mystery. According to the Margaritaville Company, one of the most prevalent stories is that the glass evolved at a Los Angeles restaurant. They ordered some new champagne glasses and received a set of oddly shaped ones, which were accidentally delivered. The bartender suggested using them as margarita glasses, since they looked bigger and could probably command a higher price. You can certainly see the resemblance between the margarita glass and the smaller French Champagne coupe. The French Champagne coupe has its own interesting yet contested origin story. Allegedly, the glass got its shape from Marie Antoinette's left breast. She wanted the quart to toast to her health by drinking out of a bosom-shaped glass. Could be that the Margarita glass is a Champagne Coupe, just a few cup sizes larger. Others argue that the glass was specifically designed to highlight the drink's vibrant flavors and make the salted rim easier to enjoy, although there is no concrete origin story for the glass.

Matt: 4:49

And now the frozen margarita my personal favorite a modern twist that took the cocktail world by storm. In 1971, mariano Martinez, a Dallas restaurateur, revolutionized the game with his frozen margarita machine. Inspired by a soft-serve ice cream machine at a diner, mariano modified it to churn out consistent, slushy margaritas. It was an instant hit, solving the problem of unevenly blended drinks. The invention was so impactful that the original machine now resides in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Now resides in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Thanks to Mariano, the frozen margarita introduced endless possibilities for flavors and turned a classic into a summer essential. Cheers to that kind of innovation.

Matt: 5:28

Now, to wrap up, here's the recently updated and perfected official Matt Friends Drink the Universe recipe for margarita. Start with two ounces of tequila, add two ounces of fresh lime juice, one ounce of contrail or triple sec your choice and a half ounce of agave syrup. The agave syrup really sets off that tequila flavor. Shake it with ice strained into a salted rimmed glass over fresh ice and garnish with a lime wheel. For a frozen variation, blend the same ingredients with two cups of ice until smooth and there you have it a margarita to sip as you soak in its rich history. That's all for this episode of Alcohology on Matt and Friends Drink the Universe. Remember, behind every cocktail is a story worth savoring.

Matt: 6:09

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