Iconic Concierge Winter 2022/23

NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY
It is the cocktail most synonymous
with Mexico, and one of the most
beloved cocktails in the world –
the Margarita. Part of the ‘sour’
cocktail family, it traditionally
consists of tequila blanco, triple
sec (orange-flavoured liqueur) and
fresh lime juice. It is usually served
on the rocks (shaken and served
over ice) or frozen (blended with
ice to create a frosty concoction), with a salted rim.
Today, the Margarita has evolved and is available in many
delicious flavours like strawberry and mango. So far, we assume,
you haven’t heard anything you didn’t know, right? Well, so how
about the history of the Margarita? Do you know where and when
it originated? No? You are in good company, as the history of
the Margarita is a bit mysterious and varied, and several stories
describe its origin. So let’s have a look at some of the numerous
stories that claim to depict the true origin of the iconic drink.
Interesting enough, many of them involve an enchanting woman...
The oldest version...
... is that the owner of a restaurant situated between Tijuana and
Rosarito, created the cocktail in 1938 for Marjorie King, a gorgeous
Ziegfeld showgirl and patron of the restaurant. King was allergic to
most types of alcohol but could drink tequila, and so only lime juice
and salt were added.
However, the most likely origin is that the Margarita evolved from
The Daisy!
The Daisy is a classic American cocktail that was popular during the
Prohibition years. It combines alcohol, citrus juice and grenadine, and
is served over shaved ice. As drinking was allowed (better: encouraged)
in Mexico, and with tequila so prevalent, it was substituted for gin or
brandy and mixed with orange-flavoured liquer, fresh lime juice and a
splash of soda. As for the name – “margarita” is Spanish for “daisy”!
Hilton-powered?
A slightly different story, however,
claims that Dallas, Texas socialite
Margaret Sames, who was called
Margarita by her friends, mixed the
cocktail for her guests who were
joining her at her vacation home in
Acapulco in 1948. She wanted to
create a good day time cocktail to
enjoy by the pool, and combined
her favourite spirits, tequila blanco and Cointreau, added fresh lime
juice, and a salt rim. “The Drink” became an immediate success at
the extravagant party and became its famous name when Sames used
champagne glasses with her nickname “Margarita” etched on them, a
gift from her husband Bill.
One of the high-profile guests that night, Tommy Hilton, took the recipe
home and included it in the bar menu of his hotels as “the Margarita.”
Peggy Lee?
We also found a version where a bartender by the name of Santos
Cruz claims to have invented the drink in
1948 at the legendary Balinese Ballroom
in Galveston, Texas for actress and singer
Peggy Lee. He chose Margarita for the
moniker, the Spanish pronunciation of Ms.
Lee’s name, Margaret.
... or maybe Rita Hayworth?
Another story claims that the cocktail was
first mixed in Tijuana in the 1940s, and for
no other than actress Rita Hayworth, whose
real name was Margarita Cansino!
So there you go. But no matter how the Margarita actually came to be,
it is definitely one of the most beloved cocktails out there and inspired
countless variations. So celebrate National Margarita Day and start
your trip to ‘Margaritaville’ with one of the best recipes out there.
98 ICONIC CONCIERGE