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If you're having a hard time getting back into the swing of things after the long weekend, here's something to cheer you up: Tomorrow, February 22nd is National Margarita Day! One of the world's most popular drinks, the margarita is traditionally made with tequila, orange liquor and fresh lime juice–yum! We're celebrating the day by uncovering some other fun facts about this beloved beverage. Here are 10 things you didn't know about margaritas.
- There's debate over who really invented the margarita, but most believe it was first made in 1948 by socialite Margarita Sames. As the story goes, Margarita, bored with beer and screwdrivers, was looking for a refreshing drink to quench her thirst during a party at her cliff side home in Acapulco. She decided to mix two of her favorite liquors, tequila and orange liquor…and the rest is history!
- According to The Complete Book of Spirits though, the first importer of Jose Cuervo in the United States advertised with the tagline, "Margarita: it's more than a girl's name," in 1945, three years before Sames claimed to have invented the drink.
- While blender margaritas existed previously, the first frozen margarita machine was invented in 1971 by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez.
- Martinez based his idea for the frozen margaritas off of a soft-serve ice cream machine.
- The margarita was the most popularly ordered drink in 2008 and still holds that title today, representing around 18% of all mixed drink sales in the U.S.
- The US is the number one tequila market, even larger than Mexico!
- Margarita consumption peaks in the South, accounting for 34.9% of sales. Top markets include Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Texas.
- On average, Americans consume 185,000 Margaritas per hour.
- Based on sales, Atlanta, Miami, St. Louis and Nashville are among the best major metro cities for margarita drinking.
- The International Bar Association recognizes the margarita's traditional recipe, which includes salt on the rim.
Will you be celebrating National Margarita Day?
Image via Drunken Monkey/flickr
