Yep, it’s that time of year again: Tuesday, February 22 is National Margarita Day. I don’t know about you, but that’s a national holiday in my house! Get yer drinkin’ shoes on and get ready to celebrate the sweet-tart agave-cocktail deliciousness that is The Margarita. A well-crafted margarita is one of life’s joys — especially when you can indulge on a sunny February afternoon with your nearest and dearest (or maybe just some super-fun folks who share your love of this summery drink).
As for the history of this uber popular cocktail, no one really knows when the margarita was invented – or National Margarita Day for that matter, but the drink is believed to have come into being sometime around World War II. One of the most common origin stories associated with this drink is that it was invented by Rancho La Gloria restaurant owner Carlos Herrera in 1938. However, this idea is contradicted by many people who claim that it was invented by Don Carlos Orozco in October of 1941. As the story goes, Mr. Orozco was working as a bartender at Hussong’s Cantina – a restaurant in Mexico – when the daughter of the German ambassador named Margarita Henkel walked into the restaurant and asked for a special drink. He then whipped her a drink that was equal parts tequila, an orange liqueur and lime. This concoction was then placed in a salt rimmed glass and served to her. Since this lady’s name was Margarita, that is the name that he decided to give the drink.
While all of these origin stories may or may not account for when this drink was created, it is known that the first published recipe of this drink occurred in the December 1958 issue of Esquire. This recipe called for an ounce of tequila with dashes of triple sec and lime juice. At this point in time, the drink began to spread across North America, but it wouldn’t really gain mass popularity until almost twenty years later when a musician called Jimmy Buffett released a song called Margaritaville.
With all that being said, it’s still not clear when National Margarita Day was invented. Like the drink it is named after, it’s origins have been buried in history. As for the best way to celebrate National Margarita Day? Well, choose your favorite recipe or find a brand new variation and whip one up! And if you’re in a particularly festive mood, you might try throwing on Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville for your listening enjoyment. It’s also advised that when you enjoy this libation, you enjoy other Mexican culinary treats such as chips and salsa (February 24 is Tortilla Chip Day), tacos, nachos or enchiladas, you can either get busy in your kitchen or plan to visit your favorite Mexican Cantina for some Covid-safe patio dining (and drinking).
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