How to Make Macayo’s Delicious Original Margarita with 1800 Reposado Tequila


Video Transcription:
Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen has been an Arizona favorite since 1946. First founded in Phoenix Arizona by high school sweathearts Woody and Victoria Johnson. Woody and Victoria’s greatest commitment was to quality ingredients served with a friendly touch.

All Macayo’s locations are family owned and locally operated serving traditional handcrafted mexican food made fresh in our kitchens everyday. We make no compromise when it comes to our food or cocktails. Margaritas are our guests favorite and they know they can trust us as we have served over 20 million margaritas throughout the years.

We’ll be making a Margarita today with 1800 reposado tequila. A double distilled 100% Blue Agave Tequila grown on family owned ranches and bottled in Jalisco Mexico. And our margaritas will also be using Contreau, a premium orange liquor from a family operated estate in France for over 165 years.

Our original margarita has an ounce and a half 1800 reposed tequila, a half ounce of Contreau orange liquor, one and a quarter ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, and one ounce of agave nectar that we’ve cut with equal parts water. Fill your mixing glass with ice and shake the ingredients for 5 to 6 seconds. Salt the rim of your bob or chacha mug and strain the ingredients over ice. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

We hope you enjoyed our margarita recipe. Come grab one with us today. Cheers!

1800 Reposado Tequila is a time-tested tequila for making delicious, smooth margaritas. Specifically, it’s a reposado tequila that’s made from 100% blue agave, is double-distilled, and is aged for six months in an oak barrel. It is bottled in Jalisco, Mexico. The result is a smooth tequila that’s ideal for a refreshing, on-the-rocks margarita. So if you’re looking for a great new margarita recipe, it’s time to learn how to make our Original Margarita!

What Makes a Great Margarita?

Aside from quality tequila, such as 1800 Reposado, there are many different components that make up the perfect, original margarita. The key is using fresh ingredients, such as fresh-squeezed fruit juices, rather than bottled juices (which are often from concentrate). 

Have you ever tried that pre-bottled margarita mix? If so, then you probably noticed that the taste of it was very sweet and syrupy. That’s because those mixes don’t include fresh ingredients; they have juices that are made from concentrate and the tequila used in these often isn’t of very high quality. If you want a margarita that truly tastes fresh, you simply need to use fresh ingredients whenever possible.>

Ingredients

Ready to create an original margarita? Here’s what you’ll need: 

  • 1.5 oz 1800 Reposado Tequila
  • .5 oz of Cointreau orange liqueur
  • 1.25 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz agave nectar cut with equal parts water
  • 2 fresh lime slices (for rim and garnish)
  • small bowl of kosher salt (for the rim of the glass)

    • Specifically, this recipe will make one margarita. If you’re entertaining, feel free to double or triple the ingredients to make multiple margaritas for your guests at once.

    Putting it Together

    Got all your ingredients ready? Perfect! Now it’s time to put it all together. Start by filling your cocktail shaker or mixing glass with fresh ice cubes. 

    Then, add the tequila, liqueur, and lime juice into the shaker and shake vigorously for 5-6 seconds. Rim your Bob or Cha Cha mug with a fresh lime and dip into kosher salt. Strain margarita mix over fresh ice. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

    There’s nothing better than a simple 1800 margarita. The smoothness of the tequila, combined with the freshness of the ingredients, make for a delicious and smooth drink that is comparable to other margaritas. Be sure to serve these up at your next gathering and keep the recipe on hand because people will be asking for it left and right!

    How to Set Up a Taco Bar

    A taco bar is an enjoyable and relatively inexpensive way to feed a large group of people, making it ideal for parties, family gatherings, and even weddings! After all, who doesn’t love tacos? They’re totally customizable to suit anybody’s taste buds. Even vegetarians can enjoy a tofu taco loaded with peppers and onions. Read on to explore some tips and unique ideas on how to set up a taco bar.

    Think Outside the Box

    When most people think of tacos, they think ground beef, spicy and smoky seasonings, peppers, and salsa. However, a taco can be so much more than that, so get a little creative with the toppings you set out! In addition to ground beef, make sure you offer ground turkey (for those trying to eat a little healthier), carne asada, shredded chicken, or even shredded pork.

    In terms of toppings, why not sweeten the deal by offering some pico de gallo, guacamole and tomatillo salsa?

    Offer Different Shells

    While you can probably get away with setting out some warm flour tortillas and hard shells, there are so many other options that your guests will appreciate. For example, make sure you offer both flour and corn tortillas, as some people have a preference one way or the other. Furthermore, for the health nuts in attendance, it’s also a good idea to set out some lettuce wraps and whole wheat tortillas.

    Some people may prefer to eat their taco naked — without a shell, that is! If that’s the case, be sure to set out some bowls or consider setting out avocado, which can be filled with toppings as well.

    Prep Ahead of Time

    One of the things many people find out the hard way when it comes to setting up a taco bar for parties is that chopping up all those ingredients for toppings is very time consuming. As such, it’s a good idea to recruit some help from a few friends, if possible, to assist you in chopping duties before the party. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare the ingredients as well; after all, there will be a lot of them. You can keep them fresh by storing them in air-tight containers or zip-lock bags and placing them in your fridge until it’s time for the party to begin.

    Setting up a taco bar can be a lot of fun, not only for you but for your guests as well. You can get so creative with a taco bar offering, and the possibilities are truly endless. Just be sure to keep these tips in mind as you prepare for your party; they’ll be sure to save you a great deal of time and ensure that your guests enjoy a flavorful meal at your event!

    Don’t have time to set up your own ingredients? Try our Macayo’s Taco Platter! Our platter is complete with all the freshest taco ingredients you need for a delicious and convenient taco fiesta.

    Fun and Easy Rice Recipes to Try

    Rice makes for an excellent and filling side dish for just about any meal — but especially with Mexican foods like tacos, burritos, and nachos. And with so many different types of rice dishes, the possibilities are truly endless. You can pair a yummy rice recipe with just about any dish you could imagine, and by adding a meat component to your rice, you can even make it into a full meal. 

    Easy Spanish Rice

    With just eight simple ingredients, you can have this yummy Spanish rice ready in about a half an hour. Specifically, you’re going to need:

    • 3 large roma tomatoes
    • one and a half cups of chicken stock
    • one and a half cups of rice (long-grain preferred)
    • a tablespoon of butter
    • two teaspoons of chili powder
    • a teaspoon of oregano
    • a teaspoon of ground cumin

    Start by combining all the ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan, bring to a boil, and then reduce to low. Cover the saucepan and let it sit for about 25 minutes, or until all the excess liquid has boiled off. For added taste, top with cheese and some chopped green onion.

    Cilantro-Lime Rice

    If you want a lighter, fresher taste with your rice, you can’t go wrong with cilantro lime. And with this recipe, all you need is six simple ingredients:

    • two cups of water
    • a tablespoon of butter
    • a cup of long-grain white rice
    • a teaspoon of fresh lime zest
    • two tablespoons of fresh lime juice
    • half a cup of fresh, finely chopped cilantro

    Start by bringing two cups of water to a rolling boil. Then, add the butter and rice into the water, covering and simmering on low for about 25 minutes (or until excess liquid is boiled off and rice is nice and tender). 

    Once the rice is done, stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy! Depending on how strong of a cilantro taste you want, you can always adjust the recipe to use more or less cilantro as well. Love cilantro lime rice? Come on by the Macayo’s location in Scottsdale to try our fresh family recipe!

    Best Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Serve Up at Your Cinco de Mayo Party

    When most people think of Cinco de Mayo beverages, margaritas tend to come to mind. However, there are so many other beverages that are great for celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the desert, and they don’t have to have alcohol as an ingredient. These three simple beverage recipes are perfect for your Cinco de Mayo celebration — especially if you’ll be hosting a party with kids!

    Virgin Margaritas

    Margaritas can be just as delicious (or perhaps even more so) when they’re not mixed with tequila. With a virgin margarita, you can enjoy the full flavor of a margarita without the buzz of alcohol, which can sometimes help you to taste more of the fruit and other fresh ingredients. 

    To create a delicious virgin margarita, you’ll need:

    • a can of frozen limeade
    • a cup of orange juice
    • two-thirds of a cup of grapefruit juice
    • lemon and lime slices (for garnish)
    • bar salt (for the rim of your glass)

    Salt the rim of your margarita glass, then toss all of the ingredients (aside from the lemon/lime wedges for garnish) into a blender, along with ice. Blend until thoroughly mixed together, then pour into a margarita glass and garnish with a lime or lemon wedge. Yum!

    Frozen Horchata

    Want to deviate from the “norm” a bit? If so, you might want to try a frozen horchata, which is both refreshing and a little spicy (for those who like cinnamon)! Perhaps the best part about this recipe is that it only requires three ingredients:

    • a cup of vanilla rice milk
    • a cup of vanilla ice cream
    • a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon (or more, to taste)

    Toss all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth, about thirty seconds in most cases. Then, pour into a glass and garnish with a tiny bit more cinnamon. Enjoy!

    Watermelon Agua Fresca

    Agua fresca is a very popular drink in Mexico. Why not make it even more delicious and refreshing by adding just a hint of watermelon flavor? To create a glass of watermelon agua fresca, you’re going to need:

    • four cups of finely chopped watermelon (without seeds)
    • the juice of one lime
    • a tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar
    • orange slices (for garnish)
    • fresh mint sprigs (also for garnish)

    Start by tossing the watermelon into a blender. Puree it, then add the lime juice, sugar, and some ice. Blend until the mixture is nice and smooth. Then, pour the mixture into a glass and garnish with a fresh orange wedge and a sprig of fresh mint. Your guests will be sure to love this super refreshing and flavorful concoction; they won’t even miss the alcohol!

    As you can see, there are all kinds of non-alcoholic Cinco de Mayo drinks that you can serve up for your big fiesta. Whether it be a virgin margarita that’s full of flavor, a frozen and spicy horchata, or even a tall glass of watermelon agua fresca, your party guests are sure to enjoy these beverages. If you want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo a little more, be sure to stop by Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen as we celebrate Cinco throughout April! 

    All About Cinco de Mayo

    Many people know very little about Cinco de Mayo, yet it’s the most widely celebrated Mexican holiday in the United States. Sure, most people know that it falls on the fifth of May (as the name suggests) and that it’s a time for fiestas. But understanding the historical significance behind Cinco de Mayo and why it’s celebrated here in the states is important. By having a true understanding of this holiday, you can better appreciate it when it approaches.

    Historical Significance

    In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo signifies the Mexican army’s victory over the French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. This battle took place on the fifth of May. In a lot of cases, this date is confused for Mexico’s Independence Day, but that didn’t take place until September 16.

    What was perhaps most significant about this battle and Mexico’s subsequent victory was the fact that the Mexican army was outnumbered nearly 8,000 to 4,000, yet they still emerged victorious. Not to mention, since the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla, European forces have not invaded any country in the Americas.

    Why Does the US Celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

    Since Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, you may understandably be wondering why it’s being celebrated so widely in the United States. Well, one of the main reasons for that is, as previously mentioned, the fact that no European forces have attempted to occupy any country in the Americas since the Battle of Puebla.

    Had the French been victorious in the battle and subsequently took over Mexico, there’s a good chance that they would have then attempted to occupy the American south. At the time, the Civil War was already going on in the United States, so it would have been a great deal of strain on the United States military to protect itself from the French at the same time civil unrest was occurring within the country.

    As such, Cinco de Mayo is just as much a celebration in Mexico as it is in the United States, in many ways.

    How is Cinco de Mayo Celebrated?

    There are many different ways in which Cinco de Mayo in Arizona is commonly celebrated. For starters, parades are quite a common form of celebration, as are fiestas. During these fiestas and festivals, it’s tradition to serve up signature Mexican foods and beverages as well as playing signature Mexican tunes. There’s also a ton of dancing and celebrations!

    There’s really no right or wrong way to celebrate the holiday! From hosting a simple Cinco de Mayo party with a taco and margarita bar to attending a full-fledged city-wide parade, what’s most important is that you’re celebrating the significance of the day.

    Now that you’re more aware of the significance and reasoning around Cinco de Mayo, both in the United States and Mexico, you can have even more fun when it comes time to celebrate when May 5th rolls around this year.

    Come join your local Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen as we celebrate Cinco throughout the entire month of April!

    Make (And Share!) Your Very Own Homemade Pico de Gallo

    Pico de gallo is a wonderful condiment to serve up with your favorite Mexican and Spanish dishes. Whether scooped onto a tortilla chip or piled onto a taco, pico de gallo has a bold, fresh flavor that you simply can’t get with basic salsa alone.

    Think you don’t have the time? Believe it or not, it’s easier and quicker than you think. All you need is 20 minutes to prep and an additional 20 minutes to let the flavors of the salsa fresca develop.

    Making Delicious Macayo’s Pico de Gallo

    You only need six basic ingredients to create salsa fresca at home. These ingredients are:

    • 2 lbs roma tomatoes, diced
    • ¾ lbs white onions, diced
    • 1 ¼ oz. jalapeno, diced
    • ½ oz. cucumber, diced
    • 2 oz. cilantro, chopped
    • ¾ oz. salt

    This recipe will make six servings of pico de gallo, which should be enough for your typical meal for four and then some. If you want to have leftovers (to give to friends, to keep for yourself, or both), you can easily double your recipe as well.

    Once you’ve chopped up all of your ingredients by hand, start by mixing the red onion, jalepeño, and lime juice into a bowl. Let it sit for about five or ten minutes, which will give a chance for the flavors to develop. Then, mix in your remaining ingredients and let the flavors develop for an additional 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

    Gifting Your Homemade Pico de Gallo

    Rather than keeping all your delicious pico de gallo to yourself, however, why not gift it to some of your friends and loved ones? After all, nothing makes a better gift than homemade food with fresh ingredients. 

    A fun and creative way to gift your pico s to put it into mason jars, which you can buy for a dollar or less at most grocery stores. Not only are mason jars cute and easy to decorate, but they hold the perfect amount of pico and will help to keep it fresh as well. Consider wrapping a fun bow around the jar to add a little decoration as well. Your friends will love it!

    This pico de gallo recipe is perfect for your next Mexican food night, so be sure to give it a try! For more fun, easy and creative recipes, visit our recipe page and follow our blog! 

    How to Make Your Own Fresh, Delicious Salsa at Home

    Sure, you can always buy pre-made salsa in a jar at your local grocery store, but if you’ve ever tasted fresh, homemade salsa, then you know just how delicious it can be. Have you ever thought about trying to make your own salsa with fresh ingredients at home? It’s easier than you think, and you probably have a lot (or even all) of the ingredients you need on-hand.

    Ingredients

    For a delicious restaurant-style salsa, you’ll just need some simple ingredients and spices. Specifically, to create a large batch of homemade salsa (enough for 8-10 people), you’re going to need:

    • 5 large roma tomatoes, diced
    • 2 large roma tomatoes, cut into quarters
    • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
    • ¼ cup red onion, chopped
    • 1 clove fresh garlic, diced
    • 1 jalapeno, cut into quarters
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • juice from one lime

    Directions

    Once you’ve got all your ingredients measured out, put them all into a food processor. Then, pulse the ingredients in the food processor until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Feel free to sneak a taste test with a tortilla chip to ensure the flavor is just right. You can always add more seasonings as needed.

    If you like extra hot and spicy salsa, then you might want to use more than one jalepeño as well. And make sure, whenever possible, you use fresh ingredients. While dried cilantro and bottled lime juice might make your life a little easier, fresh ingredients really do make all the difference in this recipe.

    Before serving up your salsa, you’ll want to refrigerate it for at least an hour. This will help give all the flavors a chance to fully develop.

    What About Storage?

    This homemade salsa recipe makes a very large batch of salsa, so unless you’re serving this up at a huge party, you’re probably going to have a decent amount of leftovers. The key to keeping your salsa tasting fresh for a long time to come is to store it properly.

    For best results, you should store your salsa in an air-tight container, such as a mason jar, and keep it in the refrigerator. Your salsa should stay fresh for at least a week this way.

    As you can see, making homemade salsa is quite simple and doesn’t take more than a few minutes of your time, some basic ingredients, and a food processor. By keeping these homemade salsa tips in mind, you’ll be sure to wow your guests at your next gathering!

    Set Up a Margarita Bar at Your Next Gathering

    You can’t have a fiesta without margaritas. At the same time, however, hosting a fiesta and being responsible for “tending the bar” can be time consuming and can keep you from having a good time and socializing with your guests. As such, you might want to consider freeing yourself from the burden of making drinks for your guests by setting up a self-service margarita bar at your next gathering!

    Stock Up on Tequilas and Liqueuers

    Of course, a wide variety of tequilas and liqueurs is a must for any margarita bar. You’ll want to make sure you’ve got plenty of different types of tequila to choose from, including tequila that’s great for making cocktails (such as a blanco tequila) and tequila that can be enjoyed on-the-rocks, as well.

    Furthermore, different fruits and liqueurs can help to add sweetness and depth of flavor to your guests’ margaritas. Some specific flavors to have on-hand include strawberry, mango and citrus. To really spice things up, you might even want to consider infusing some of your tequilas with fruits or chiles.

    Don’t Forget the Mixers

    In addition to liquor, you’ll want to have some non-alcoholic mixers that guests can mix into their beverages. Fresh lime juice, lemon juice, and orange juice are all staples of many tequila-based cocktails, such as margaritas. Sweet and sour mix is a must have. You can buy at your local liquor store or even make on your own, a great low calorie option, with the following ingredients:

    • fresh lemon juice
    • fresh lime juice
    • simple syrup
    • orange juice
    • water

    Offer Spices and Garnishes

    Margaritas are all about the spices and garnishes, so make sure to provide plenty of options guests can use to spruce up their cocktails. For starters, you’ll want to set up a tray lined with salt that people can dip their rims in. And since some people prefer sugar to salt, you’ll want to make sure to provide different sugars and other spices (such as dried ginger) for your guests. If you have a spice grinder, you can make these yourself, or you can save yourself some time and buy them fresh at your local market.

    Very Simple, Very Quick Margarita Recipes You Need to Try

    Nothing’s more refreshing after a long day than relaxing with a freshly made margarita. Whether you enjoy them frozen or on-the-rocks, there are plenty of easy margarita recipes out there that don’t require much time, effort, or a huge list of ingredients. Consider giving one (or all) of these a try tonight!

    Margarita With Orange Juice

    If you like your drinks a little on the sweeter side, consider amping up your cocktail with a splash of citrus flavor. This simple margarita recipe incorporates fresh orange juice for a margarita that’s truly out of this world. To make this cocktail, you’ll need:

    • two ounces of tequila
    • an ounce of Triple Sec
    • an ounce of fresh orange juice
    • a third-ounce of lime juice
    • salt for the rim
    • a fresh orange slice for garnish

    The great thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t require much more work or many more ingredients than that of a classic margarita. To create this yummy concoction, start with a cocktail shaker full of ice, then add the tequila, Triple Sec, orange juice, and lime juice. You can squeeze your own orange and lime juice for the freshest taste, or use store-bought for convenience.

    Shake the ingredients in the cocktail shaker and then strain over a salt-rimmed margarita glass. Garnish with a freshly cut orange wedge or a gorgeous, tasty, and easy-to-make treat. You can also make this in a blender if you’d prefer it frozen.

    Margarita With Simple Syrup

    What if you’re in the mood for a refreshing margarita but *gasp* don’t have any Triple Sec on hand? Well, you could always run out to the store, but that defeats the purpose of having a simple recipe, relaxing, and not spending a lot of time on putting together a delicious cocktail. Fortunately, you can make a yummy margarita without the need for Triple Sec; all you need is to know how to make simple syrup, which serves as an excellent substitution.

    To make simple syrup, all you need is:

    • sugar
    • water
    • a saucepan

    Add one cup of sugar to one cup of water and put on low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Yeah, it’s really that simple! However, since simple syrup (unlike Triple Sec) doesn’t contain any alcohol, you’ll want to up your recipe to include:

    • three ounces of tequila
    • an ounce of simple syrup
    • an ounce of lime juice
    • salt for the rim
    • a lime wedge for garnish

    You know the drill by now, right? Add the liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, then shake and strain over a salt-rimmed margarita glass. Garnish with a freshly cut lime wedge. You can also add a splash of orange juice or orange liqueur to this recipe if you want a sweeter and more citrus flavor, but that’s up to you.

    Could these margarita recipes get any easier? Go ahead! Go whip one up for yourself; you deserve one after all that reading!

    How to Pair Your Margarita: a Guide

    When you’re in the mood for an easy-to-make yet flavorful drink, you really can’t go wrong with a margarita. But with so many different types of margarita recipes out there, it can sometimes be difficult to know which types of foods will pair best with your margarita–especially if you’re entertaining guests. Not to worry! We’ve put together a simple margarita-food pairing guide that’ll have you pairing tequila recipes like a pro in no time.

    The Classic Margarita

    The great thing about this recipe is that it’s delicious and versatile; available both on-the-rocks or frozen, the food-pairing possibilities for the classic margarita are endless. For those who aren’t familiar with the classic margarita recipe, it includes two ounces of tequila, an ounce of Cointreau, and an ounce of fresh lime juice.

    If you’re serving this up on-the-rocks, consider complementing the classic margarita’s lime flavors with a chicken or shrimp dish that’s marinated in lime juice (shrimp ceviche, for example). If serving frozen, consider going with the “opposites attract” mentality and pairing it with something spicy, like a fajita or a stir fry.

    The Spicy Margarita

    The spicy margarita is sure to get your taste buds howling. Complete with two slices of jalepeño and some fresh cilantro, you really can’t go wrong serving this up at your next cocktail party. And perhaps the best thing about it is that there are plenty of great food pairings (both appetizers and main dishes) that go well with it.

    For complementary flavors, you can serve this drink up with any kind of spicy dish; jalepeño chicken poppers, cajun chicken, and spicy beef skewers are just a few simple yet delicious pairings to consider for your next cocktail party. If you really want the flavors of the Cointreau to stand out, however, you’ll go with a more mild dish, such as mint aioli or grilled vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, etc.).

    The Fruity Margarita

    Finally, you can add fruit flavor to any classic margarita by incorporating fresh fruit and fruit juice, such as strawberries, coconut, pineapple, or anything in between. Fruit margaritas can be served on-the-rocks or frozen, but regardless of how you serve them, they tend to pair best with mild and sweeter foods. Specifically, you can’t go wrong serving up a fruity margarita with an appetizer of fresh fruit salad or even a dessert of sorbet.

    Generally, spicy foods don’t pair well with fruity margaritas because the spiciness in the food tends to make the acidity in the drink taste too bitter. However, when it comes to how to drink a margarita, there’s really no right or wrong way – so enjoy what tastes good to you!

    As you can see, there are plenty of great food-pairing options out there to enjoy with your margarita. Whether you’re into the classic margarita, spicy margaritas, or fruity margaritas, you can be sure to find a food pairing that will complement your drink and bring out all the best flavors as well.