Alcohology - "The Margarita"

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Unearth the captivating stories behind one of the world's favorite cocktails, the margarita, and dive into its rich, flavorful history. Discover how the delicious pairing of tequila and lime captured hearts and palates worldwide as the margarita rose to iconic status alongside tequila's growing popularity in the United States.

But what about that distinctive glass? Could a mishap at a Los Angeles restaurant have given birth to the classic margarita glass, or is Marie Antoinette's bosom? Finally, fast forward to 1971, when Mariano Martinez drew inspiration by a humble soft-serve ice cream dispenser to create a frozen classic. As we toast to the margarita's legacy, be ready with your ingredients for our special recipe reveal at the end—perfect for sipping along and celebrating this beloved cocktail's storied past.

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Episode Transcript

Matt (00:02):
Welcome back to Matt and Friends.
Drink the Universe.
In just five minutes we'regoing to go on a well-blended
journey through the history ofone of the world's most beloved
cocktails, the margarita, andstick around at the end for a
quick recipe so you can sipalong with us.
Welcome back to Alkohology.
I wonder why they call it acocktail.
Yes, I'd like to know moreabout the Venus Vinifera.

(00:24):
I'm very interested in theterroir.
We talking about two carbon,six hydrogen and one oxygen atom
.
We talking about ethyl alcohol.
This episode, the Margarita.
The Margarita is a drink that'sas surprisingly mysterious as it
is delicious.
There are many stories andtheories for how this drink
originated, so let's explore afew.

(00:45):
First we have Carlos DaniHerrera.
In 1938, at his restaurantRancho La Gloria, located
between Tijuana and Rosarito, hesupposedly created the drink
for actress Marjorie King.
She was allergic to mostspirits except tequila, but
found it too strong to drinkstraight.
The story goes that Herreramixed tequila, lime juice and
orange liqueur, serving it witha salted rim.

(01:08):
Another popular story is thatMargarita Sámez, a wealthy
socialite in Acapulco, claimedto have invented the drink in
1948.
She mixed tequila, contrail andlime juice during a party.
The story goes that thecocktail recipe was spread by
some of her and her husband'sfamous friends and party guests,
who included hotelier NickHilton, tale of the Cock owner
Sheldon McHenry, hotel Bel-Airowner Joseph Drown and movie

(01:32):
stars like Lana Turner and JohnWayne.
Supposedly, their friends tookthe cocktail all over the world
and subsequently served thedrink in their hotels and
restaurants.
Then there's the Daisy CocktailTheory.
Cocktail historian DavidWondritz says the margarita
derives from a Prohibitioncocktail called the Brandy Daisy
.
The Brandy Daisy is made with abase of brandy, citrus and

(01:54):
orange liqueur.
Interestingly, margarita meansdaisy in Spanish.
Swapping brandy for tequila andsugar for salt in Mexico may
have created what we now callthe Margarita.
Other contenders include DonCarlos Orozco at Husong's
Cantina in Ensenada, whosupposedly named the drink after
Margarita Henkel, the daughterof a German ambassador.

(02:14):
Other contenders include DonCarlos Orozco at Husong's
Cantina in Ensenada, whosupposedly named the drink after
Margarita Henkel.
Margarita Henkel was thedaughter of a German ambassador.
And let's not forget FranciscoPancho Morales, who claimed to
have improvised the recipe atTommy's Place in Ciudad Juarez
in 1942.
What's certain is that tequilaand lime were destined to come

(02:36):
together.
The Margarita's rise mirrorstequila's growing popularity in
the US, turning the drink into aglobal icon.
Let's talk for a moment aboutthe unmistakable Margarita Glass
.
Its design isn't justfunctional, it's part of the
drink's identity.
The origin of the iconicMargarita Glass is also somewhat
steeped in mystery.
According to the MargaritavilleCompany, one of the most

(02:58):
prevalent stories is that theglass evolved at a Los Angeles
restaurant.
They ordered some new champagneglasses and received a set of
oddly shaped ones, which wereaccidentally delivered.
The bartender suggested usingthem as margarita glasses, since
they looked bigger and couldprobably command a higher price.
You can certainly see theresemblance between the
margarita glass and the smallerFrench Champagne coupe.

(03:18):
The French Champagne coupe hasits own interesting yet
contested origin story.
Allegedly, the glass got itsshape from Marie Antoinette's
left breast.
She wanted the quart to toastto her health by drinking out of
a bosom-shaped glass.
Could be that the Margaritaglass is a Champagne Coupe, just
a few cup sizes larger.
Others argue that the glass wasspecifically designed to

(03:39):
highlight the drink's vibrantflavors and make the salted rim
easier to enjoy, although thereis no concrete origin story for
the glass.
And now the frozen margarita mypersonal favorite a modern twist
that took the cocktail world bystorm.
In 1971, mariano Martinez, aDallas restaurateur,
revolutionized the game with hisfrozen margarita machine.

(04:00):
Inspired by a soft-serve icecream machine at a diner,
mariano modified it to churn outconsistent, slushy margaritas.
It was an instant hit, solvingthe problem of unevenly blended
drinks.
The invention was so impactfulthat the original machine now
resides in the Smithsonian'sNational Museum of American
History.
Now resides in theSmithsonian's National Museum of

(04:20):
American History.
Thanks to Mariano, the frozenmargarita introduced endless
possibilities for flavors andturned a classic into a summer
essential.
Cheers to that kind ofinnovation.
Now, to wrap up, here's therecently updated and perfected
official Matt Friends Drink theUniverse recipe for margarita.
Start with two ounces oftequila, add two ounces of fresh
lime juice, one ounce ofcontrail or triple sec your

(04:41):
choice and a half ounce of agavesyrup.
The agave syrup really sets offthat tequila flavor.
Shake it with ice strained intoa salted rimmed glass over
fresh ice and garnish with alime wheel.
For a frozen variation, blendthe same ingredients with two
cups of ice until smooth andthere you have it a margarita to
sip as you soak in its richhistory.
That's all for this episode ofAlcohology on Matt and Friends

(05:04):
Drink the Universe.
Remember, behind every cocktailis a story worth savoring.
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Thank you for listening.
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(05:31):
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