A proper margarita does not come premixed in a bottle. Nor does it come from a neon-lit, hypnotically slow-churning slush machine sitting behind a bar. On occasion it may come from a veteran-drinker aunt, but so too do alternatively long-winded or embarrassing (or both) stories from your high school days — and a proper margarita shouldn’t be guzzled out of desperation.
So what does make a proper margarita? We turned to our exceedingly generous neighbors over at The Breslin, a British-style gastropub attached to the Ace Hotel, to find out. Their answer? The same answer to what makes their food special: fresh ingredients, all prepped by hand and arranged with respect, but never deference, to their traditional pairings. So Head Bartender Laura Lashley’s recommendation was fitting: Tommy’s Margarita, which foregoes triple sec in favor of agave syrup. Perhaps it’s a little off center from proper. Or perhaps it’s just off enough to not remind you of your aunt’s embarrassing stories.
Tommy’s Margarita
Serves 1 person
2 ounces silver tequila
3/4 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce diluted agave syrup (equal parts water and agave)
Ice
Salt
Preparation: 1. In a mixing glass, add tequila, lime juice, agave syrup and ice. 2. Shake until frost appears clearly on the shaker. 3. Using a lime wedge, moisten half the rim of a lowball glass. Press the moistened rim on a plate of salt. 4. Pour additional ice into glass and strain mixture over it. Garnish with lime.
