Celebrate National Margarita Day at Pueblo Bonito

This month, raise a glass with us to one of our favorite, world-famous cocktails. February 22nd is National Margarita Day and Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts is honoring the “holiday” with expertly crafted drinks shaken by our in-house mixologist extraordinaire. 

The wizard behind the bar at Quivira Steakhouse is Eufemio Vega and his spicy seasonal specialty will be the Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita. But he’ll be serving up the traditional cocktail, too, with its perfect combination of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors: a splendid mix of tequila, triple sec (or Cointreau), and lime. The classic preparation, reported to have originated in Tijuana, Mexico in the 1930s, is on the rocks; frozen margaritas were invented in the early 1970s by a creative restaurateur who converted a soft serve ice cream maker into a frozen margarita machine. Fast forward 50 years to swallow this good news: the spirits themselves have been found to be good for you! National Margarita Day has its own website that includes a list “10 Reasons Tequila is Actually Good for You.” Among its many healthful qualities, tequila helps lower blood sugar, supports weight loss, helps fight cholesterol, dilates blood vessels resulting in better blood flow, cleanses your colon, calms nerves, and improves sleep.

If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, consider these fun facts before you sip in the interest of savoring the many dimensions of Tijuana’s treasured tequila.

• Tequila is made from only one ingredient cultivated in the highlands of Jalisco: blue Weber agave. The heart of the plant, called the pina, is steam-cooked or baked for many hours, crushed to produce a juice or juice-pulp mixture, and then fermented and distilled.

• If the tequila is to be a blanco or white version, it is bottled immediately. At Quivira Los Cabos and Pueblo Bonito resorts, Blanco* tequila is generally used to make the Margarita, Cabo’s most popular cocktail.

• Reposado or rested tequila, reposes in oak barrels for up to 12 months, acquiring roundness and a light straw color from its time wrapped in wood.

• Anejo or aged tequila spends up to three years in the barrel, infusing the spirit with a caramel color and a velvety mouthfeel.

• Cristalino is anejo tequila that has been filtered to remove its color. The result is a smooth, clear tequila that has the complexity of an anejo and the crisp notes of a blanco.

And because we’re feeling generous, we’d like to share our seasonal Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita recipe with you, too, though we’re inclined to say, a made-to-order cocktail at Vega’s bar is worth the trip to Mexico in itself.

Recipe Ingredients: 

- Blanco* tequila 1.5 oz.
- Agave honey 1 oz.
- Cucumber .25 grams
- Basil .25 grams
- Lemon juice 1 oz.
- Pineapple juice .5 oz.
- Jalapeño .10 grams
- Tajin (seasoning mix) .02 grams
- Ice

Prepare Glass: 

- Cut a slice of lemon, run the wedge along one side of the rim of the glass.
- Sprinkle tajin on a plate and pass the rim of the glass over it.
- With a peeler, make thin slices of the cucumber and intertwine them to form small mosaics to decorate the inside of the glass.
- Use another slice to create a cucumber ribbon by folding the slice back and forth upon itself and securing with a toothpick. Set aside for the garnish.

Combine Ingredients:

- A cocktail shaker is ideal, although any container that you can close and shake will work.
- Add the basil leaves, seedless cucumber pieces, lemon and pineapple juices, agave syrup, and a small piece of jalapeño pepper to the shaker. Macerate for 30 seconds.
- Pour the blanco tequila and ice into the shaker and shake for 10 seconds. If you have a cocktail shaker, shake it until icy cold on the outside.
- Place a few ice cubes in the serving glass; strain the margarita over the ice.
- To finish, garnish with your cucumber ribbon.

RECIPE VIDEO

Plan your trip to enjoy a margarita at a Pueblo Bonito Resort!