Welcome to Margarita Village

Hola! Peg, here.

In our world there are three different Margaritas. One is a luxurious vacation destination in Venezuela where I have been but Chip has not. The second is a variation on my proper name Margaret. And the third is a popular adult beverage consisting of tequila mixed with fruity liqueur and lime juice served in a cocktail glass rimmed with salt.

Recently we embarked on an expedition along Mexico’s Riviera Maya to find our favorite Margarita cocktail recipe. This safari was conducted purely for the benefit of family members soon to join us for upcoming holidays. It led to a popular local destination we now call Margarita Village.

Pelicanos in Puerto Morelos lies on the side of the town’s boat mooring yacht club (AKA marina). This first stop is a tribute to its attraction and our first foray into food comparisons. This is the launch of the Margarita research campaign where I ended the ceviche one.

The first brave concoction was mixed up by Marco Antonio and served by Carlos Alva. The basic recipe was repeated more than once throughout the cocktail investigation: two ounces of tequila (Centenario) with one ounce of Controy (the non-Cointreau of Mexico) and just half an ounce of lemon juice with a touch of sugar. The bartender included ice cubes as an ingredient, so in the future I will, too.

The second trial took place at Jungle Fish near Tulum where our favorite server was also our bartender. Lupe provided the 2 ounces of tequila (Jose Cuervo, by God) with 2 whole ounces of Controy and 2 ounces of lemon extract. No apologies for this mix , but they also offer a version with Gran Marnier which is apparently the bar specialty.

On the third day of our quest (July 3rd in my diary), I sampled the wares of Rafael at Lol Ha restaurant on Playa Akumal. He shows me his unique technique (as did Lupe) which includes the proportion 2:2:1, made up of “Excellent Jalisco” tequila, Controy and fresh limes. Perhaps what gave this Margarita the edge was that I sipped it as I explored historic markers and quaint casitas on the cleanest, most docile beach in Akumal.

Post script: No Hangover. The basic truth is there is little distinction to be found from one Margarita to the next. Where you are, who you are with and the satisfaction of sipping one makes the experience complete. So exactly where is Margarita Village? That is up to you to decide.