Cookaholics Bulletin Board

My drink of choice at cocktail hour has long been the Gin & Tonic, however, I've grown tired of the same old thing and want to branch out.
I prefer simple drinks with few ingredients. So, I'm thinking the ubiquitous Margarita.
Can anyone suggest a good brand of Tequila? I live in a smallish town with simple liquor choices, so, nothing fancy or awfully expensive, please.
The young lady at the liquor store said her preference was Lunazul.
Got a brand you like?

In margaritas (because of the strong flavors) I don't believe a brand is as important as being sure to use one that is 'reposado' - a degree of aging (the label will say this. The best Margarita recipe I have ever found is the following from CI - try to follow it exactly.
The Best, Fresh Margaritas

The longer the zest and juice mixture steeps, the more developed the citrus flavours in the finished margaritas. We recommend steeping for the full 24 hours, although the margaritas will still be great if the mixture steeps for the minimum 4 hours.

makes about 1 quart, serving 4 to 6

4 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice from 2 to 3 medium limes
4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice from 2 to 3 medium lemons
1/4 cup superfine sugar
pinch table salt
2 cups crushed ice
1 cup 100 percent agave tequila preferably Reposado
1 cup Triple Sec


1. Combine lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt in large liquid measuring cup; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavours meld, 4 to 24 hours.

2. Divide 1 cup crushed ice between 4 or 6 margarita or double old-fashioned glasses. Strain juice mixture into 1-quart pitcher or cocktail shaker. Add tequila, Triple Sec, and remaining crushed ice; stir or shake until thoroughly combined and chilled, 20 to 60 seconds. Strain into ice-filled glasses; serve immediately.

My favorite tequila is Don Julia Anejo. I made a clementine margarita with it last weekend that was really good.

--Lisa

Wino, Linda:

I wouldn't waste a resposado or anejo on a margherita, unless you're doing the "minimalist margarita" (3 shots tequila, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tsp sugar), in which case, go for it.

Also, frankly, the bottles labeled "resposado" from a mass-market bottler (Cuervo etc.) are just blanco tequila with food coloring. Labelling is not enforced.

IMHO, for margaritas, you want a non-sucky tequila which is available at a moderate price point. You don't really want a fine tequila which is $100/bottle if you're going to mix it with anything. And I find "plata" tequilas blend better. Fortunately Serious Eats addressed this issue not once but twice:

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2014/04/b ... polon.html

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/08/best ... julio.html

I generally agree with their recommendations; Luna Azul is my go-to for margarita mixing. I can't stomach Patron, though, no matter how it tastes since it's a "fake" tequila made by blending agave with neutral spirits in the USA. Milagro is pretty good too, but usually a bit pricier than I'd pay for a margarita tequila.

We use El Jimador reposado ($33 Cdn) and in our taste comparison with Sauza blanco ($29), El Jimador was a very significant improvement.

A note of caution for the CI recipe - DO NOT DRINK MORE THAN ONE......................

I love to know how you know this!?

BTW, does anyone know any easy way to expedite the grating of 4 teaspoons of lime zest? I use the fine Microplane but for this amount I'd be at it all day.

Wino,

Yes, but El Jimador is a better tequila than Sauza, period. I'm sensing that we need a taste-off sometime in the future ...

and any others that come to mind...

FYI, this is my standard margarita recipe:

double-jigger tequila
1/2 shot triple sec
juice of 1-2 limes
1 tablespoon sugar, plus more to taste

Serve on the rocks.

I have to admit that I'm lazy and use the mixes; Mr & Mrs T, Sauza, Cuervo, and even Kirkland, I think they're all just fine. I think I like the Sauza flavors the best.