The cocktail most synonymous with Mexico is easily the margarita, but how did the now-classic drink come to be? The original margarita contains ingredients including tequila, triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur) and fresh lime juice. The refreshing beverage is usually served on the rocks (shaken and served over ice) or frozen (blended with ice to create a frosty concoction). The original margarita is lime flavored, and it is often served with a salted rim, as are several other flavors that now exist. Over time, the margarita has evolved and fruit flavored varieties are extremely popular as well, with flavors like strawberry and mango being the top choices besides the classic made with lime. Although the history of the Mexican margarita is unclear to this day, there are several tales of how the drink was invented, most of them involving an enchanting woman.
Take a look at some of the tales that wish to account for the storied past of the margarita:
Inspired by a Showgirl
Dating back all the way to 1938, this tale about the supposed birth of the margarita is definitely the oldest. A restaurant named Rancho La Gloria, situated between Tijuana and Rosarito, was owned by Carlos “Danny” Herrera. Marjorie King, a stunning Ziegfeld showgirl, was a patron of the restaurant. She was reportedly allergic to most types of liquor but could drink tequila, so Herrera took it upon himself to create a delicious new cocktail, naming it the margarita in honor of the gorgeous dancer.
The Latest “Daisy”
This story is perhaps the most likely to be accurate, claiming that the margarita is a version of an American drink that was popular during the Prohibition years that was called the “Daisy”. Since drinking was not only allowed but encouraged across the border, many people regularly went to Mexico to party legally. Since tequila was so prevalent in Mexico, it was probably substituted for other liquors like gin, brandy or whiskey in order to make the daisy. Made with tequila, orange-flavored liqueur, fresh lime juice and a splash of soda, the new “daisy” was dubbed the “margarita”, which is the exact translation in Spanish.
Political Connections
Another possible source of the margarita comes from Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada, where bartender Don Carlos Orozco worked. During his shift one day, as he was tinkering with new cocktail ideas, Margarita Henkel, daughter of a German ambassador, showed up at the bar. She was supposedly the first person to taste one of his new beverages so the bartender decided to name the drink the margarita for her.
A Texas Delight
It is believed by some that Dallas socialite Margarita Sames may have been the inventor of the margarita. She is claimed to have made the cocktail and served it to her guests who were joining her at her vacation home in Acapulco. One of her guests was none other than Tommy Hilton, who loved the refreshing drink so much that he introduced it to his family’s Hilton brand of hotels, and it soon became one of the favorite featured cocktails amongst hotel guests.
Further Possibilities
One of the largest tequila producers in Mexico is Jose Cuervo and the company claims that the margarita was created by a bartender who named the cocktail after Mexican showgirl Rita de la Rosa in 1938. Another story reports that actress Rita Hayworth (whose given name happened to be Margarita Cansino) enjoyed the drink at a bar while she was working in Tijuana at a theater in the 1940s and the drink was renamed after her on the spot.
No matter how the margarita actually came to be, it is definitely one of the most beloved mouthwatering cocktails out there. The next time you stay at Hotel Mousai, be sure to indulge your taste buds with the incredibly yummy margaritas served up at the bars and restaurants on site. Salud!
