One Beacon Bartender's Women's History Behind The Margarita Cocktail
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by Emily Morales
Emily Morales is the front of house manager at Meyer's Olde Dutch and has worked in multiple other bars and restaurants on Beacon’s Main Street. She grew up in Beacon and is now also raising her daughter here. When she's not working, she's usually reading anything she can get her hands on.
When I say “Margarita,” what do you think about?
A classic blend of tequila, lime, and orange liqueur. Maybe salt, maybe on the rocks, everyone has their own preference. But who created it?
As a woman who grew from barback, to bartender, and now to front of house manager at Meyer’s Olde Dutch, I wanted to create a menu centered on women’s contributions to the cocktail world for Women’s History Month. I quickly realized, however, that there are very few cocktails more well-known than the one named after a woman, Margarita.
I put together three recipes based on Margarita lore, but nothing beats our house recipe at Meyers Olde Dutch. Served over one large ice cube and half a salt rim, it’s a serious crowd-pleaser!
Origin Stories Of The Margarita
Most, if not all, cocktails have one person we can point to and thank for their genius and dedication to the craft. Take the Hanky Panky, for example. It was created by head bartender Ada Coleman at the Savoy Hotel’s American Bar in 1903 and features gin, sweet red vermouth, and a splash of Fernet Branca. This drink happens to predate any Margarita recipe by over 20 years.
The Margarita, however, has over a dozen origin stories. Many people claim the world-famous classic as their own intellectual property, whether by accident, on purpose, or something in between. In honor of Women’s History Month, Meyer’s Olde Dutch is selling Margaritas inspired by three of these claims centered around women: Marjorie King, Margaret Sames, and Doña Bertha (and the Hanky Panky for gin drinkers).
Marjorie King’s Margarita
In the 1930’s, actress Marjorie King often stopped at a bar called Rancho la Gloria with her friends and fellow socialites, but was unable to drink. According to legend, she was allergic to all alcohol except tequila but hated the taste, so bar owner Carlos “Danny” Herrera got to work! He combined three parts white tequila, two parts Cointreau, and one part lemon juice, and she loved it. He dubbed it Margarita, the Spanish form of Marjorie, in her honor.
Margaret Sames’ Margarita
Another American socialite, Margaret Sames, claims an equally popular origin story. She was famous amongst her friends for her parties and wanted to come up with a new, refreshing, poolside drink. She created several recipes for this new drink while entertaining at the party, all of which ended up horribly (I personally believe it’s ill-advised to perform mixology while drunk, great ideas presented fantastically while intoxicated don’t tend to taste so great) until finally she landed on this: equal parts tequila and Cointreau, lime juice to taste, and a trace of salt on the rim. Now, I know what you’re thinking, but all truly great cocktails are simple in retrospect. During the party, and many parties thereafter, her guests would refer to this concoction as “the drink,” which eventually evolved into “the Margarita.”
Doña Bertha’s Margarita
So far we’ve covered two quite classic-sounding recipes for the Margarita, you’ve got your Cointreau, your salt rim, your lime, now let’s shake it up a bit!
Very little is known about this next recipe, but you’ll be glad I’ve included it. There is a bar in Taxco, Mexico, called Bar Berta, which was owned by a woman known as Doña Bertha. It is said that her recipe using silver tequila is a precursor to today’s Margarita, but once you give it a shot, you may never turn back to a regular Margarita again. In homage to the city’s famous silver mines, Doña Bertha created a drink to showcase silver tequila. She added honey for sweetness, lime for tartness, and an egg white for creaminess, shook it up and served it plain. No salt, no rocks, no garnish, she let the drink speak for itself.
Emily Morales Herself
Here’s a Margarita tip: at your backyard parties this Spring, try using agave instead of regular simple syrup!
