Paula's Texas Spirits Logo Paula's Texas Spirits is the maker of
Paula's Texas Orange and
Paula's Texas Lemon,
premium liqueurs handmade
in Austin, Texas.
Both products are available in
fine liquor stores and
discriminating drinking
establishments throughout Texas.
July is Margarita Month!

PAULA'S AWESOME MARGARITA

This is about as pure as it gets. Since this is equal parts of all ingredients, you can create any quantity you want easily. We make a couple glasses at a time using a jigger or make a pitcher using a cup measure.

  • 1 part tequila
  • 1 part Paula's Texas Orange
  • 1 part margarita mix--preferably equal parts fresh-squeezed lime juice and water
Combine ingredients and serve over ice.

PAULA'S PARTY MARGARITA

Some folks find the Awesome Margarita a bit strong for parties. This one's a bit weaker and sweeter but still packs a punch! These quantities make just shy of a gallon.

  • 1 750-ml bottle tequila
  • 1 750-ml bottle Paula's Texas Orange
  • 1 12-ounce can Minute Maid limeade
  • 12 oz. fresh lime juice (buy Goodflow or Central Market's)
  • 24 oz. water
Mix ingredients and serve from a pitcher or Igloo.

FROZEN PINEAPPLE MARGARITA

Here's a twist on the frozen margarita. Put pineapple chunks in the freezer for a day or more and they'll provide both flavor and slush for the margarita. Just a little ice is needed to balance it out.

  • 2 oz. frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1 oz. Paula's Texas Orange
  • 1 oz. reposado tequila
  • 2 ice cubes
  • 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Blend ingredients in a blender or small food processor and serve.

GINGER MARGARITA

This ginger-flavored margarita goes great with Asian food. Makes 4 cocktails.

For ginger syrup:

  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass

Bring ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let cool about 5 minutes. Strain ginger syrup into container; cover and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

For cocktails:

  • 3/4 cup silver tequila
  • 3/4 cup Paula's Texas Orange
  • Ginger syrup

Mix ingredients and serve over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with lime wedge and lemongrass stalk.

Recipe derived from Bon Appetit August 2004.

PEPE'S FAVORITE

This drink isn't a margarita, but my friend Pepe Zevada introduced me to this very refreshing way to enjoy good silver tequila: simply pour a shot over ice and add club soda and a wedge of lime. It's the perfect way to enjoy Pepe's delicious Z silver tequila.

For more party cocktail ideas and recipes, visit our website.
Paula's Awesome Margarita
Paula's Awesome Margarita

About margaritas

Lots of drinks masquerade as a margarita, but a true margarita has three components:

  • Tequila
  • Orange liqueur
  • Lime-based margarita mix

Your selection of orange liqueur is a no-brainer: Paula's Texas Orange makes the tastiest margarita hands down. But your choice of tequila and mix can greatly affect the taste profile of your drink.

About tequila

For your top-shelf Paula's margaritas, we recommend using a 100% agave silver or reposado tequila.

Silver (or blanco) tequila is the basic clear tequila. It gives the classic "spiky" tequila flavor to a margarita.

Reposado tequila is aged in barrels and takes on an amber color. Reposados have a hint of smoke and oak that provides a smoother flavor in a margarita. Anejo tequila is aged even further and generally is reserved for sipping instead of mixing in margaritas.

For a large quantity of margaritas, you could use a "gold" tequila, which is not 100% agave but still has a reposado-like taste. Due to added sugar, a gold tequila can give a sweeter result, so adjust your lime mix accordingly.

About margarita mix

Our opinion is that the best margarita mix is simply fresh-squeezed lime juice. In our recipe of equal parts tequila, liqueur, and mix, we dilute the lime with an equal amount of water. Without the water, we feel the resulting margarita is too tart. Some folks like a bit more sweetness, for which we recommend using Minute Maid limeade (not the Bacardi margarita mixer) for part of the lime juice.

There are lots of pre-made margarita mixes out there. We don't ever use them, so we can't recommend any of them except for one: The Cedar Door's Mexican Martini mix, which still requires adding fresh lime juice. It's available at Spec's.

What's a Mexican Martini?

I'm sure I'll get some emails on this, but as far as I can tell, a Mexican Martini is just a margarita served in a shaker with ice and drunk from a martini glass, sometimes accompanied with olives. Let me know if there's a subtlety I'm missing.

What about salt?

Your call. We think it mostly detracts from the flavor of a good margarita, but we won't spank you if you do it.
 






Happy Fourth of July!
We hope Paula's Margaritas will be
making fireworks at your celebration!

Here's some places we'll be this month:

 Temporal Insomnia Midsummer Art Show benefiting the SPCA, Saturday, July 19, 8-12 p.m., The United States Art Authority, 510 W. 29th St., Austin
 
Cooking class and tequila dinner with Z Tejas founding chef Jack Gilmore, Sunday, July 20, Z Tejas, 9400 A Arboretum Blvd.,  Austin
 
Catalyst 8 Bash 08, Friday, August 1, 8-12 p.m., The Long Center
Paula's Texas Orange 40% alc. by volume. Paula's Texas Lemon 30% alc. by volume.
Bottled by Texacello LLC, Austin, TX.

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