February 22nd is National Margarita Day, and your favorite Mexican restaurant near Nashua is celebrating. At El Tapatio, we have some of the best margaritas around. But where did the drink come from, and how did it get so popular? Well, the history of how the Margarita is unclear which led to many coming up with their own tales on its origin.
Here are a couple of our favorite and most popular myths about the beginning of the Margarita.
Myth #1: Margaret (Margarita) Sames
Let’s start with one of the most popular theories. In 1948, a Dallas socialite named Margaret Sames hosted a party with her friends in Acapulco. She decided to mix two of her favorite drinks (Tequila and Cointreau) into one and made the Margarita. One of the guests attending the party was a bar owner named Tommy Hilton. He tried the drink and loved it so much that he decided to recreate it and sell it at his bars.
Myth #2 : Francisco Morales
In 1942, Francisco “Pancho” Morales worked at a bar named Tommy’s Place somewhere near El Paso. No, this is not the same Tommy from the previous myth. One day, a customer came into the bar and asked Pancho for a Magnolia. However, he had no idea how even to make such a drink. Pancho decided to take the order anyways and threw together some of the items they had when he came out with the first Margarita.
Myth #3: Carlos Herrera
One of the oldest myths of how the Margarita came to be happened in 1938. Carlos Herrera owned a restaurant named Rancho La Gloria in Mexico. One day, Carlos found himself serving a challenging customer. The woman was a showgirl by the name of Marjorie King. King told him that she was allergic to all types of alcohol except tequila. She admitted that she did not like the taste of alcohol, but she still found herself wanting a drink. Carlos took on the task of making something that would suit her picky taste buds. He decided on trying to mask the flavor of the tequila with sugar and lime, and the Margarita was made!
Fact or Fiction?
Let’s be honest. The drink could have been made by all of these people or before them without ever knowing it. Back in the 1930’s one of the most popular drinks to order was a Tequila Sidecar. Anyone could have decided to slide in a little bit of lemon juice, and before you knew it, you’ve made a margarita.
Have a drink or two with El Tapatio
El Tapatio is your place to be when looking for authentic Mexican restaurants near Nashua. With a great staff and even better food and drinks, we have made something that people have loved for years and years to come.