Pomegranate margarita

This pomegranate margarita is a bright and colorful twist on the classic cocktail. It has a wonderful balance of tart, fruity and sour flavors and is perfect for a festive occasion (or any excuse you want to make).

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I'll admit that margaritas are not really a cocktail I would tend to order out as they can be very inconsistent. Some bars, of course, make them very well, but others can be either watery-tasting, use slightly odd-tasting sour mix or get the flavor mix wrong.

Made at home, though, you can make it just how you like, as well as make tasty variations like this.

What are the origins of a classic margarita?

The margarita is a relatively modern drink, though the exact origins are a bit debated. One of the most popular stories is that a Tijuana restaurant owner, Carlos "Danny" Herrera, invented it in 1938. But he's far from the only person to claim being the creator.

Another possibility is that 'margarita' is simply the Spanish for 'daisy' and in fact if you swap out the brandy in the Prohibition-era Daisy for tequila (and lemon for lime), this is what you would get. But the drink feels very different, especially with the traditional salt rim.

Whatever the origin, it has, of course, become a worldwide favorite. A perfect version should have a good balance of sweet, tart and sour flavors. Traditionally, the only sweetness comes from the triple sec or Grand Marnier. With only lime and ice to dilute the drink, it's relatively strong, too.

Fruity variations

As well as the common slushy variation, these days this is a highly riffed-on cocktail, often involving fruit. Fruity flavors can be a great compliment to the basic flavors in this drink, as well as adding some color, as is the case here.

The fruit component is typically in the form of juice and is in addition to everything else. This makes the drink less strong, but arguable more drinkable. Some also add additional sweetener like simple syrup or agave (as you'll also find in variations of the original). In some cases, I'd argue it can be too sweet especially with a sweeter juice. 

I admit I do add a little sweetener (well, sometimes) into my passion fruit margarita as I think it helps bring out the flavor, and passion fruit can be quite tart. But a mango margarita is definitely sweet enough without.

This version is one where you can decide for yourself whether to add a little sweetener or not. It works both ways. Pomegranate can be relatively tart, which to me makes it a wonderful compliment to the original flavors. And the color is simple stunning as well.

A cocktail fit for a party

Given both the season for pomegranates is the winter and the festive color, this makes a great cocktail for festive parties. I've given the recipe as an individual drink, but you can also make this in larger quantities as a pitcher to serve a crowd. A suggested larger quantity version is in the notes.

If you plan ahead, and access to fresh pomegranate, it's fun to freeze some pomegranate arils into ice cubes for serving. They don't add flavor to the ice, but if they fully melt, you can, of course, enjoy biting into them. 

Whether served to a crowd, or simply enjoyed for yourself, the flavors in this pomegranate margarita are as bright and beautiful as it's color. It has a great sweet-tart balance and a gentle fruitiness. This wonderfully drinkable cocktail is definitely one to add to your list.

Try these other festively colored cocktails:

• Cranberry whiskey sour
• Blueberry French 75
• Pomegranate mojito
• Kir imperial (Raspberry champagne cocktail)
• Plus get more cocktail recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.  In many locations, you can have wine, spirits and more delivered to your door with Drizly.

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