topolo margaritas

original recipe courtesy rick bayless

this is rick bayless' famous topolo margarita made in a shaker and served tableside at his restaurants.

12 margaritas (6 cups)

3 tsp (approximately 2 limes) lime zest (finely grated)
1 1/2 cups (approximately 24 limes) lime juice (freshly squeezed)
3/4 cup + 3 tsp sugar
1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp water
12 lime wedges
coarse salt (optional)
2 1/4 cups sauza conmemorativo tequila
1/2 cup patrón citrónge
ice cubes (coarsely broken)

to make tangy limeade, combine lime zest, lime juice, sugar and water in a glass pitcher. cover & refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but no longer than overnight.

meanwhile, combine tequila and orange liqueur in a freezer-safe glass container and place in freezer. (alternatively, place tequila mixture in refrigerator, alongside the limeade mixture.)

strain limeade mixture into the orange tequila mixture, pressing on the solids to extract as much lime flavor as possible.

to finish & serve the margaritas, rub the rims of short glasses with a lime wedge and then dip the glasses, rim first, into a dish of the coarse salt. refrigerate the glasses if desired. squeeze then drop the spent lime wedge in each glass. add a few ice cubes to prepared glass.

in a shaker, place a few ice cubes and cover with margarita mixture. shake vigorously 15 seconds, until the shaker is very cold to the touch, and the mixture is quite frothy.

strain mixture into prepared glass(es). salud !