Margaritas

This recipe is adapted from The Cuisines of Mexico whose author Diana Kennedy writes: "Hardly anyone would disagree that the margaritas at Carlos Jacott's El Parador are the lustiest in New York. He has given me the following recipe for his margaritas...."*  In 1990 (The New York Times reports) El Parador’s owner and maître d’hôtel, Carlos Jacott, a reportedly larger-than-life figure sold the restaurant to Manuel Alejandro, a Spaniard, whose son, Jose, known as Alex, is both the executive chef (he graduated from the French Culinary Institute) and Mr. Jacott’s more reserved replacement in the dining room on 325 E 34th Street. The restaurant still gets excellent reviews for its food and still has an extensive tequila menu.

This recipe is for 1 serving. However, when Ed/I make margaritas, depending on the number of people to be served, we make up to 4 servings at a time.

Chill  large cocktail glasses well [I do not have the space to store occasionally used "margarita glasses" so I use large wine glasses, usually not chilled]. Rub the rim with a

slice of lime

Put

a little salt, either ordinary table salt or finely ground rock salt [I use sea salt or Kosher salt]

on a small plate. Press the rim of the glass into it, giving it a turn to make sure the rim is ringed with salt. [I then fill the glass with crushed ice.]

In a cocktail shaker combine:

1 1/2 ounces white tequila [I use Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila Oro]
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1 ounce fresh lime juice
A few cubes ice, crushed

Cover and shake together well. Pour the mixture through a strainer into the prepared glass[es].

* Page343, 1972 edition

Reviewed 5/15/17