Photo: Drunken Monkey / Flickr

As an after-work pick-me-up or as a welcome drink at events, margaritas are delicious every time. Pair margaritas with Mexican food like nacho chips and dips for the perfect cocktail party or serve them frozen on a hot summer’s day. Tequila may not be your cup of tea but blended correctly you can hardly even taste it in the perfect margarita.Margaritas are simple to make and can be tailor made to suit anyone’s tastes.

A classic

A classic margarita is made by blending together three parts tequila, two parts triple sec (or a similar orange liqueur) and one part lime juice. Blend with ice and then strain out the ice for a perfectly chilled cocktail. Make sure you use good quality tequila if you want to avoid seeing a pained expression on all your party guests’ faces. Rub the rim of the glass with a lime wedge and sprinkle with salt to complete your cocktail.

Flavoured and frozen margaritas

Flavoured and frozen margaritas are a great alternative for someone who prefers a sweeter drink. To make a flavoured margarita simply substitute the triple sec for another type of liqueur; strawberry, mango and banana are popular flavours. For a sweeter taste rim the edge of the glass with sugar or coloured sugar crystals. A frozen margarita is also simple to make. Simply add your standard margarita mix to some ice in a blender, then blend until smooth and serve immediately.

Virgin margaritas

Virgin margaritas are great for baby showers or office parties. Replace the triple sec with orange juice and the tequila with a sweet and sour mix. Blend together with lime juice and ice and you have yourself a virgin cocktail. To make your own sweet and sour mix combine one cup of water with one cup of sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add one cup of fresh lemon juice and refrigerate.

Tags: alcoholic drink