While there are many stories about the origin of the Margarita, the first time the world heard about this famous cocktail was in December 1953 in the pages of Esquire Magazine in the US.
The recipe is precisely what we would recognise today as a traditional Margarita: tequila, lime juice, triple sec, salt rim on the stemmed glass.
It took a few more years before the Margarita could really take off, though.
The evidence suggests that it was Vern Underwood, a Los Angeles liquor importer and distributor, who really got things going when he noticed that Tail o’ the Cock restaurant was selling incredible amounts of Tequila thanks to the Margarita, a cocktail that the venue’s bartender John Durlesser had named after his girlfriend Daisy around 1939.
Advertised by Underwood, by the middle of the 1960s the Margarita was everywhere.
Over the years, the success of the drink has translated into numerous twists and reinterpretations and today it is still one of the bestselling cocktails worldwide.
The Margarita was also one of the most searched recipes online last year, proving the classic is a favourite at-home cocktail.
And now, an initiative launched by Patrón Tequila for Margarita Day on Monday 22nd February sees lots of great Manchester bars taking part with the creation of their signature Margaritas, available for home delivery at £7.50 each.
On top of the profit, each bar will receive a direct £1.50 donation in support of their venue.
Some of the Manchester bars participating on The Drinks Drop include Cottonopolis, Wolf at the Door, CBRB, Crazy Pedro’s, Ducie Street Warehouse, and Science & Industry.
You just browse the site and add the cocktails you would like to your basket, along with any extra spirits or ice.
Then the drinks will comes to you. You can go for same day delivery in selected Manchester postcodes, or next day national delivery.
Options include a tropical take on the classic called Spring Break from Wolf at The Door, using salted coco infused Patrón Silver mixed with passionfruit and banana syrup.
Or you could try a Watermelon Margarita form Crazy Pedro’s, or the Muscarita from Ducie Street Warehouse, a light, sophisticated and floral take on the Margarita using sweet wine, vetiver and white grapefruit peel.
Rainy Day Parade from Science & Industry, meanwhile, is an ode to everything which makes us what we are – fun but serious, bitter but sweet – and a nod to the Mancunian sense of humour: dry as a bone, and the weather: wet.
You can find out more and order here.