21st
The Margarita Dilemma
So, me and Marie thought the amount of booze bottles with dregs in them was getting a bit ridiculous. We got some limes at the market since we had some tequila and triple sec. Unfortunately the tequila is probably not one of the better ones – Sauza Blanco – but the triple sex, made by De Kuyper, I’ve no idea about. This isn’t my area of expertise, so to speak. Anyway, it’s a triple sec and not Cointreau as seems most recommended for a Margarita.
Anyway, I’ve done one small mix for a couple of small margaritas and they’re quaffable but nothing on a level of what I’d get were I playing with good gin to make dry martinis or perhaps gimlets the way I like them. To me the margaritas feel a bit bitter. Not that bitter scares me – I’ve yet to have an India Pale Ale too hopped for my tastes – but it somehow doesn’t seem to fit. Perhaps this is the best I can expect from the ingredients but perhaps you can help me get better out of them?
As it is I was doing two parts tequila to one each of triple sec and freshly squeezed lime juice. Shaken on ice and poured into martini glasses rimmed with coarse salt, no ice in the glass. For what it’s worth the margarita felt cold enough to me but maybe that’s just my inexperience.
But now I have roughly ingredients left for another pair of small margaritas and I’d love to make them better than the last pair. Any tips?
Edit: Roland Fox suggested this:
With those ingredients, I’d do 2 parts tequila, 2 parts lime juice, 1 part triple sec.
It was indeed an improvement. It was a much more sour drink but I can take sour. I like sour. Maybe a touch more of the triple sec to balance things a bit but I’m afraid that I’m starting to debase the cocktail I’m supposed to be making and it’s basic element, the tequila. But not only did this improve the drink, it convinced me I need to wrangle myself a bottle of good 100% agave tequila and some Cointreau and try again.
Oh, look, I still have a lime left and there’s enough booze left for one more try. I better go freeze more ice.
