Lime and Pomegranate Margarita

With or without a straw the Margarita is the choicest drink on a hot Sunday afternoon. Be it in a social gathering or by the pool, the ubiquitous nature of this beverage has garnered the likes of many. A concoction of tequila, triple sec and lime juice, served in a salt rimmed glass, the Margarita is a perfect blend of sour, bitter and salty. The drink is often served shaken with ice as frozen Margarita but can also be had straight up.

The pioneer of this cocktail however, is often a matter of contest as there have been numerous claims for the recipe. According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the term Margarita in Spanish means daisy relating it to the drink ‘brandy daisy’, originally made with brandy and citrus, later altered with tequila. One of the earliest and popular legend claims Carlos ‘Danny’ Herrera to have made this drink around 1938, at his restaurant, Rancho La Gloria in Tijuana. He made this drink for his client, an aspiring actor named Marjorie King who was allergic to hard alcohol except tequila. So, to elevate and twist up the cocktail he added a wedge of lime and a bit of salt.

Legends also narrate that around 1942, bartender Francisco Pancho Morales created the Margarita at Tommy’s Place Bar in Juarez, Chihuahua. Others opine that it was Margarita Sames, a Dallas socialite, who prepared this cocktail for her guests at her Guerrero vacation home in 1948, where renowned hotel chain owner Tommy Hilton happened to be present and believed to have immensely enjoyed it, popularised the drink by putting it up in his menus.

With an unparallel popularity of the beverage, innovations were soon to follow. A plethora of unique combinations were conjured to suit refined palates of liquor connoisseurs. One such popular and refreshing take on the Margarita is Lime and Pomegranate Margarita. a simple Margarita recipe with added pomegranate juice and lime to make the sour drink sweeter for a large crowd. A non-alcoholic version is also popular where the tequila can be replaced with Sprite.