The Perfect Margarita Recipe From The ‘Margarita Man’ Himself

Mariano ‘Margarita Man’ Martinez (source: abc news)

Mariano Martinez is the man who invented the frozen margarita machine after dropping out of high school in Texas, and we would just like to say ‘thank you, Mariano!’.

Not because those frozen margaritas are all that good, but they did fuel some hard partying when we couldn’t afford a real margarita, and more importantly…they helped make the drink a smash hit.

The margarita has become the number one cocktail in the world, and Americans consume an astounding 180,000 margaritas every hour.

According to an article on ABC News, Mariano is now known as the “Margarita Man,” and says he got the idea when he was 26 years old and the bartenders in his restaurant could not keep up with the demand for the drink making them by hand.

“We had one blender. We had bartenders cutting lime and squeezing them. They were supposed to be measuring the tequila, the cointreau. They were overwhelmed,” he said. “I had a very sleepless night that night. I stopped at a 7/11 store and I saw that Slurpee machine back there — and the light bulb went off.”

If you are anything like us here at ThereSanDiego, you are always on the lookout for the best Margarita recipe.

No, The Best Margarita Is NOT That Frozen Slurpee-Like Concoction!

The best margaritas are pure, simple and made with only the freshest ingredients.

Even Mariano recognizes that his frozen version is not ideal.

According to him, a great margarita must contain three primary ingredients:

• 100 percent agave tequila
• Real orange liqueur
• Freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

AND A Great Margarita must also be correctly hand-shaken with ice (this is a bit ironic coming from the guy who invented the Margarita Machine but he is quick to point out that his tastes have evolved over the years).

So how does the ‘Margarita Man’ drink them now?

Here Is Mariano’s Perfect Margarita Recipe

• Shaken, Not Stirred
• 2 oz. fresh hand-squeezed lemon or lime juice
• 1 ½ oz. 100 percent Agave tequila
• 1 oz. Grand Marnier
• Preparing the Margarita:
• Salt the rim of a glass, if desired. Set aside. Fill pint shaker with ice and add all ingredients. Shake vigorously exactly five times. Pour contents of a shaker in glass.
• Lime wedge garnish optional.

Enjoy!