The History of the Margarita

There are many tales about who concocted the first margarita on the rocks. Many, many tales. Drinking mezcal or tequila with citrus juice has been around for centuries, and a lick of salt is a traditional accompaniment. With a few slight changes this custom transformed into one of today’s favorite cocktails, the margarita. Two popular theories abound on this beloved drink’s origins. TLK investigates.

Theory 1: In 1930, the owner of Rancho Del Gloria in Tijuana, Danny Herrera, created the cocktail for a showgirl named Marjorie King, who was allergic to every alcohol except tequila. He blended three parts tequila, two parts Cointreau and one part lemon juice. He wet the rim of the glass with lemon juice, dipped it in salt, and served the mix over shave ice. Marjorie gave it her seal of approval and it was named in her honor, Margarita, Spanish for Marjorie.  

Theory 2: In 1948, Dallas socialite Margaret Sames invited friends from Dallas to visit her in Acapulco, Mexico. While preparing for her visitors’ arrival, Margaret began experimenting with a tequila cocktail to serve poolside. Having tried and enjoyed Cointreau, she decided to pair the two. Tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice and salted rim and the margarita was born. Everyone at the party loved it and brought the recipe with them back to the States where it grew quickly in popularity. One famous party guest, hotelier Nicky Hilton, went on to feature the margarita at his Acapulco Hilton. In 1994, the San Antonio News Express published a piece that credits Margaret as the creator of the margarita and shares her recipe.

While the mystery remains, the origins of the frozen version of the margarita are well documented. In the early 70s, Mariano Martinez, a Dallas restaurateur, began serving frozen, blended margaritas in his new restaurant. His customers were soon coming back for more and with such high demand, his staff was unable to produce a uniform mix from Mariano’s father’s by-hand recipe. Mariano Junior knew he needed to find a dependable method of making the drink in order to keep both his customer and bartenders happy. His salvation came during a trip to his local 7-Eleven where he spotted the Slurpee machine. Seeing how the machine churned out large quantities of smooth, frozen carbonated drinks, Mariano knew his golden opportunity to take his business to the next level had arrived.

Denied the sale of a Slurpee machine from the company, he and a chemist friend set out to create their own machine. It was a hit!  Word of mouth spread and other restaurants began to follow Mariano’s lead, installing their own frozen margarita machines. Though Mariano tried to patent his invention, he was unable to secure rights since the invention was already patented. When Marino closed his famous first location, he decided to retire the machine. The Smithsonian heard of Mariano’s plans and requested it be placed in the museum, where it remains on display today.       

So, whether you prefer a classic margarita on the rocks or one that’s frozen, this legendary cocktail is served up by the gallon, consumed by millions with friends and familia around the world. We pay homage to its inventor(s), raise our salt rimmed glasses, and celebrate everything margarita! Salud!  

Join the celebration with this recipe for a classic margarita. 

Classic Margarita

• 3 ounces tequila blanco
• 1 ounce Cointreau or triple sec
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 cup ice
• lime wedges and salt

Get the full recipe.