Everything you need to make the perfect margarita at home on National Margarita Day
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National Margarita Day is today, February 22. If you’re wondering why the celebration of a cocktail associated with sandy, palm tree–lined beaches takes place in February, we haven’t the slightest idea. Perhaps it’s to give us a bit of cheer in the darkness of winter. What we do know is that to make the perfect margarita, you need the right tools.
When is National Margarita Day 2023?
National Margarita Day is observed annually on February 22. The day is filled with deals at popular restaurants.
How do you make a margarita?
Looking for a classic, no-frills margarita? You'll need six ounces of tequila, four ounces of triple sec and two ounces of lime juice. Whatever amount you use, the ratio of 3:2:1 should be followed for optimal flavor. A tablespoon of simple sugar can be used as a sweetener if you like your drinks on the sweeter side. Margaritas are typically served with ice, either poured over cubes or blended together with all of the ingredients. For a final touch, the drink is traditionally garnished with a slice of lime and a salted rim.
What do you need to make a margarita?
A knife and cutting board
Limes are a vital ingredient to any margarita, as a slice of the citrus fruit is used as a garnish while its juice is used to make the drink itself. To prep your lime for juicing and garnishing, you'll need to slice it open and the best way to do so is by using a quality knife. We recommend picking up the best chef’s knife we’ve tested, the Zwilling Pro 8" Chef's Knife. This knife is easy to maneuver and hold, which makes cutting a cinch. Unless you're planning on slicing your limes on your kitchen counter (which we don't recommend), you should use our favorite cutting board, the Totally Bamboo Kauai cutting board. Made from bamboo, this board is beautiful, stable and easy to clean.
Juicer
While you can squeeze a lime with your hands, using a juicer will ensure that you're able to get every last ounce of delicious juice out of it. Plus, if you're making many margaritas, using a juicer will prove to be a much more efficient way to extract lime juice. Out of all the juicers we've tested, we found the Omega J8006HDS to be the best thanks to its great design which gives it a large juice yield and makes it easy to store. If you find its price a bit off-putting, you can purchase our value pick instead, the Omega H3000D Cold Press 365, which is compact, easy to clean and quiet, too, for a fraction of the cost.
Blender
If you fancy your margaritas blended, a quality blender is a must to combine all of your ingredients. The best blender we've tested is the Cuisinart Hurricane CBT-1500P1. As the name suggests, it boasts an impressive amount of power for its price, leading to consistently smooth drinks in only a few seconds. The Hurricane is easy to clean and even easier to use thanks to its intuitive controls.
Ice cube tray
Don’t forget the ice when you’re whipping up a tasty margarita. Convenient and small, ice cube trays are the perfect fix for anyone lacking an ice maker or a bag of ice on hand. Vehhe's tray is particularly convenient thanks to its silicone material, which makes it easier to remove the cubes than with trays of harder material such as plastic.
Cocktail shaker
Another way to make margaritas is by using a cocktail shaker such as our favorite, the OXO Good Grips Steel Single Wall Cocktail Shaker. Cocktail shakers mix your drink to perfection without any spills. We love OXO's shaker because it comes with a built-in jigger (which is used for measuring the parts of a cocktail), it pours easily and is easy to use for beginners and veteran mixologists alike.
Margarita maker
There's nothing like a dedicated margarita maker, such as the one made by Margaritaville, to take your margaritas to the next level. The Margaritaville's Frozen Concoction Maker crushes ice with ease and can make up to three pitchers at a time. Better yet, the process is entirely automated, meaning you won't have to keep such a close eye on the appliance while it's doing all the work. If you're a margarita aficionado, this appliance is a must-buy.
Festive straws
Why buy straws and drink umbrellas separately when you could get a combination of the two instead? We may still be in winter, but with these straws, it'll feel like sweet, sweet summertime. If you prefer metal straws, make sure to get them in the right size for cocktails, such as these highly-rated straws from the Mason Jar Lifestyle Store.
Cocktail rimmer
The salty finish of the glass' rim is just one of the things that make a margarita what it is. To make the process of salting easier, consider picking up a bar glass rimmer. This nifty device has three labeled trays for different rims—salt, sugar and lime juice. If you're one who likes to experiment with rimmed cocktails often, this will be the perfect gadget for you.
Margarita glasses
Last but not least, you need a quality margarita glass to finally enjoy the fruits of your labors. A classic margarita glass is quite easy to find, but we recommend those from the Iav store on Amazon. Reviewers love this set for its sturdiness and for the stems which are the perfect height. If you don't want to deal with a stem at all, you can buy this stemless Margarita glass from Libbey. Many find this design to be even more stable and easier to hold than the standard one. We know that broken glass can be a pain, so if you don't want to deal with the risk at all, you can pick up plastic margarita glasses such as these festive ones sold by Party Dimensions.
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: National Margarita Day 2023: What you need to make a perfect margarita
