The Classic
From Mexico’s best bartender, Fatima León. From Grub Street article.
15 ml. orange liqueur (preferably Cointreau)
15 ml. fresh lime juice
50 ml. tequila
In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients and shake with ice for 30 seconds. Strain the drink into a glass with half of the rim salted. Add a slice of lime for garnish if you’d like.
A Spin on the Classic
The Cabo Green Margarita is from Esperanza, an Auberge Resorts Collection resort in Los Cabos.
2 oz. silver tequila (100% blue agave)
1 oz. pineapple juice
4 cucumber slices
7 fresh cilantro leaves
½ oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
½ oz. agave or simple syrup
1½ cucumber slices, for garnish
Muddle cucumber slices, cilantro leaves, and tequila in a cocktail shaker and strain into a separate glass. Rinse shaker. Add the infused tequila, pineapple and lime juices, and agave to the shaker, fill with ice and shake ten seconds. Serve in a salt-rimmed margarita or whisky glass and garnish with cucumbers.
For the Brunch Crowd
This avocado-centric take on the classic margarita from Los Cabos’ One & Only Palmilla also features a splash of antioxidant-rich spinach juice.
2 oz. Tequila Casa Dragones
1 oz. Cointreau
½ agave syrup
¾ lemon juice
avocado
2 ½ oz. spinach juice
A pinch of salt and pepper
Puree five spinach leaves in seven tablespoons of water in a blender. Add all ingredients to a shaker, fill with ice, and shake for 20 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
For the Very Dedicated
Ojai Valley Inn‘s signature margarita is made with pixie tangerines, an only-in-Ojai hybrid that blooms every spring. (In a pinch, substitute with your own tangerine juice.)
1½ oz. Codigo Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. fresh-squeezed Pixie tangerine juice
½ oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
½ oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
Lime and tangerine wedges for garnish
Add all ingredients to a shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously. Wipe the rim of a rocks glass with a Pixie tangerine wedge, dip the glass into kosher salt, then fill with ice. Then strain cocktail into the glass and garnish with lime and tangerine wedges.