Make room for margarita

Satisfying and tangy, a margarita is one of the most opted for drinks at parties, celebrations and night-outs. As is the case with theories about most beginnings, many tales exist about the origin(s) of the margarita. But what started out as a drink — created specifically with tequila, orange liqueur and limejuice — has certainly evolved a lot since then.

Margarita, today, is undoubtedly one of the most popular cocktails in the world with a mass appeal, across age groups, gender and any time of day. Today, many variations of the humble margarita are being served and enjoyed — especially fruity flavours such as mango and strawberry, to name a few popular ones.

There are multiple stories about its origin, but one that seems most plausible is that it was invented in a bar in Mexico  in 1941 for Margarita Henkel, the daughter of a visiting German ambassador. Another version goes that in 1994, in Cancun, Mexico. The Chili’s American Grill and Bar’s team was celebrating a successful end to the brand’s first top shelf margarita promotion. It was there that Chili’s liquor vendor pitched a new, higher-tiered margarita recipe. The drink was served the first night in Cancun and that was all it took to make this drink immensely popular.

Upon returning to Dallas, Chili’s added the margarita to the menu, with a special touch — Presidente brandy. Thousands of guests have since ordered the Presidente Margarita over and over again. Today they sell 135,000 gallons globally every year — that’s one gallon every 15 minutes.

There is a cocktail called Presidente, a blueberry and pineapple infused margarita, which is an ode to the team. Also, for those who can’t decide between a beer and a margarita, one can opt for Frozen Beer Rita, which combines both. That’s the beauty of this particular drink— come up with any winning-combinations and there you go, you’ve hit the jackpot. If you are looking for something fresh, one can also add the fruits. Mango is one fruit that goes well with it. Simply blending fresh fruit flavours or infusing the fruits with tequila are some of the easiest and greatest ways to create new tastes.

Given this versatility, margarita is a drink that goes with most dishes at any given point of time. I personally love it with baby back ribs and also our fajitas. This also means it’s a great base for experimentation. Be it via flavours, presentation, titles or more, always drink it with the salted rim and explore the different varieties of this delightful concoction to the best of your abilities!

Mohd. Tayyab is the culinary and beverage head for Chili’s American Grill & Bar