MARGARITA MAKEOVER

It's sweet, it's salty and it knows how to get a party started; the margarita. She is confident in her traditional form, yet is constantly reinventing herself to surprise the thirstiest of pallets. Here, just two weeks outside Cinco de Mayo, we explore the Cadillac of party cocktails.

Dates In Margarita History

• The original Margarita was invented in 1948 by Dallas socialite Margarita Sames, at her vacation home in Acapulco.
• While blender Margaritas existed previously, the first frozen Margarita machine was invented in 1971. It was based on a soft-serve ice cream machine.

Margarita Holidays

• National Margarita Day is February 22nd.
• Cinco de Mayo is a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state of Puebla on May 5th. It is actually a bigger event in the United States than in Mexico. (get ready!)

Who’s Drinking Margaritas?

• The Margarita was the most popularly ordered drink in 2010, representing 18% of all mixed drink sales in the U.S. Runners up were the Martini, Rum and Coke, Vodka and Tonic, and the Cosmopolitan. (Source: Cheers On-Premise Handbook 2010)
• On average, Americans consume 185,000 Margaritas per hour. (Source: Brown-Forman, 2010)
• Margarita consumption peaks in the South, accounting for 34.9% of sales. Top markets include Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Texas. (Source: Brown-Forman, 2010)
• Based on sales, Atlanta, Miami, St. Louis and Nashville are among the best major metro cities for Margarita drinking. (Source: Cheers On-Premise Handbook 2010)
• The U.S. is the number one tequila market. (Source: Cheers On-Premise Handbook 2010)

Okay, enough with the history lesson, let's get to the good stuff...

Take a gander below at how we have made over the margarita--just in time for your Cinco de Mayo soiree...

Chef Brian uses watermelon to add a fresh flavor and bright hue.

Margarita Ice Cream (yep, that's right)

Ingredients
1/2 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons tequila
3 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Cointreau or Triple Sec)1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream

Directions
Pour the lime juice, tequila and orange liqueur into a bowl and stir in the sugar to dissolve.
Add the cream and then softly whip until thick and smooth but not stiff.
Spoon into an airtight container to freeze overnight. This ice cream does not need ripening oftening before serving), as it will not freeze too hard and melts speedily and voluptuously.

No matter how you celebrate the upcoming holiday, remember to drink responsibly!