There is no NEED for added sugar since the liquor (Triple Sec) is already sweet and supplies the
necessary sweetness. (According to one website, Triple Sec is an orange liqueur made made from the skin of oranges that are called triple oranges. Now you know.)

Trolling through the GOOGLE margarita hits was instructive in other ways….

One site contends margaritas are the most popular cocktail in America today.
That site goes on to say: \”The basic concoction of fresh lime juice, orange liqueur and tequila served in a salt-rimmed glass is now considered the \”classic\” recipe for the drink. (See!) But people love to add their own twists, from frozen strawberry confections to blends made with everything from apricots to watermelon.\” (YUCK!)

Another culinary site said their margarita page gets more hits than any other page on their website.
(http://www.miss-charming.com/recipes/marg.htm)

They confirm my recipe: \”Today, connoisseurs of the drink contend the only \”true\” Margarita is one made with the four original ingredients (lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur and salt), shaken and served over ice.\”

In my view it is CRUCIAL that the lime juice be fresh. None of the bottled (Rose\’s Lime Juice) or frozen limeade concentrate and certainly NO mixes.

The next debate is what KIND of tequila.

According to one web authority: \”Tequila is available in several styles, including plata (silver) or blanca (white), reposada (rested or aged six months in oak barrels), and anejo (aged for one year in wood barrels.) The reposada and anejo are gold in color partly because of the oak aging and partly because of the addition of food coloring. Which style you choose is mostly a matter of personal preference.\” Some specialty tequilas are 100 percent agave–which is reckoned to be the best.

But after scanning the internet, it seems on balance margarita aficionados prefer the plata or blanca. That\’s what I use.
Since you are mixing it, it seems a waste to use \”boutique\” tequilas.

Think of the high end vodkas marketed heavily in recent years. When it comes to
drinking ice-cold, neat vodka–yes, go for Belvedere or Grey Goose.
But if you\’re MIXING (say, for a vodka tonic) ANY standard vodka will do.

That\’s my philosophy for margaritas too.

Triple Sec is the classic orange liquor and it works fine.
Only problem: It is getting increasingly difficult to find, even in
southwestern France. (Intermarche near me stocks it, Champion, Auchan and Monoprix–all big supermarket chains–do not.)

Using Cointreau or Grand Marnier (as some recipes suggest) is more expensive and less classic.
In any case, they don\’t blend as well as modest Triple Sec.

One website gourmet tried a blind tasting of the three orange liquors and concluded: \”The Triple Sec tasted mostly like sugar with a slight artificial orange flavor. I found Cointreau a bit medicinal, and settled on Grand Marnier as my favorite, preferring its flavors of vanilla, cinnamon and cloves which come from its aging in oak barrels.\”

I rushed for my liquor cupboard–for a dusty bottle of Cointreau and Grand Marnier (but
no Triple Sec–gone into a recent batch of margaritas). I tasted & compared.
Grand Marnier has a more complex & nuanced taste–orange liquor as aged brandy; Cointreau seems the essence of orange.
But both are much more expensive than Triple Sec and blending them for a margarita seems like putting Fred Astaire in the dance ensemble. He\’d just stand out too much!

Poor old Triple Sec obviously doesn\’t have promotional & sales departments pushing this liquor on the internet–so
brand names like Cointreau and Grand Marnier as well as special (expensive) tequilas get pushed forward. Caveat Emptor.

Meanwhile I also discovered that there are at least 8 BOOKS dedicated to margaritas.
One is entitled \”The 50 Best Margaritas\”. I suppose that will include a recipe for tequila & Coca-cola….

In any case, life is short and often the classic is a CLASSIC because it has been refined by generations to the essential quintessence of excellence.

Given we agree on ingredients, the interesting debate concerns proportions:
I\’ve recommend one part Triple Sec, one part fresh lime juice to 3 parts Tequila.

Anyone want to make the case for something different?

Why do we drink margaritas? Tart, refreshing taste especially welcome on a hot day–but the HAPPIEST high of any legal drugs
I know…..(with neat, frozen Belvedere vodka coming in close behind–in cold weather….).
Neither (in judicious proportions) leads to hangovers.

Margaritas, incidentally, are Mexico\’s national drink.

Meredith