I know for some of us every day is Margarita Day, but whoever designates these things has officially named February 22nd as the day to indulge in Mexico’s favorite cocktail.

The traditional Margarita was invented in 1937 and mainly consists of triple sec, tequila and lime or lemon juice, but as you can see from the recipes below there are lots and lots of variations on the theme.

So if you can’t hop on a last minute flight, we have you covered.  Celebrate at home with a few of these delicious concoctions. We plan on taste testing every one tonight and we’ve already bought the extra large bottle of Tylenol for tomorrow.

 From caterer Andrea Correale of Elegant Affairs, who has created events for  L.A. Reid, Mariah Carey, Russel Simmons, Kevin Spacey, Billy Joel, Jimmy Fallon, and Liam Neeson among many others :

Avocado Margarita

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest, divided

1 lime wedge

1 avocado, pitted, peeled

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons tequila blanco

¾ cup triple sec

¾ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Pinch of cayenne pepper

8 lime wheels for garnish

Directions:

Toss salt and 1 tsp. lime zest on a small plate. Rub the rim of each margarita glass with lime wedge and dip into salt mixture.

Purée avocado, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, cilantro, cayenne, remaining 1 tsp. lime zest, and 2½ cups ice, preferably crushed, in a blender until smooth.

Divide among prepared glasses and garnish each with a lime wheel.

Jalapeno Margarita

Ingredients:

1/2 fresh jalapeno

1.5 oz lime juice or margarita mix

4 oz blanco tequila

4 oz orange liqueur Ice

Directions:

Muddle jalapeno and then combine lime juice (or margarita mix), tequila and orange liqueur.

Shake and strain over ice.

Watermelon Margarita 

Ingredients:

1-½ oz. tequila

¾ oz. triple sec

¾ oz. Midori

2 oz. sour mix

6 oz. cubed, seeded watermelon

8 oz. ice

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together; serve in a 14-ounce glass.

Garnish with lime and a watermelon wedge.

Mango Basil Margarita

Ingredients:

Mango Puree

1 ½ cups chopped fresh mango

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 ½ oz (3 tablespoons) Mango Puree

1 oz (2 tablespoons) blanco tequila

¼ oz clear orange-flavored liqueur

¾ oz fresh lime juice

2 fresh basil leaves, torn

1 oz club soda, chilled

Directions:

To make Mango Puree

Place mango, sugar and water in blender.

Cover; blend on high speed until smooth.

Transfer to storage container; cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

To make Margarita

Add 1 ½ oz of the mango puree, the tequila, orange-flavored liqueur, lime juice and torn basil leaves to cocktail shaker.

Fill shaker with ice; cover and shake vigorously.

Strain into cocktail glass filled with fresh ice; top with club soda.

Garnish with mango puree and basil leaves.

Mexico’s  Velas Resorts located in  Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit have offered up these tasty treats:

 Cilantro Margarita 

1.5 oz      Tequila

1 oz          Triple Sec or Cointreau

3 oz          Lime or Lemon Zest

1 T          Cilantro, minced

Smoky Guajillo Rita 

1.5 oz     Smoked white tequila

½ oz       Triple Sec or Cointreau

3             Grapefruit slices

½ oz       Sprig of rosemary

½ oz       Yellow lemon juice

½ oz       Simple syrup infused w/ Guajillo chili

1 tsp       chappuline salt (grasshoppers roasted with chili, salt and lime and ground)

 

Margarita Maya

1.5 oz     Tequila

½ oz       Triple Sec or Cointreau

½ oz       Xtabentun

½ oz       Lemon juice

1/3 oz     Simple syrup

Cucumber & Habanero Chili Margarita 

2 oz         Tequila

1 oz         Cointreau

½ oz        Simple syrup

½             Cucumber

½             Habanero Chili

2 T           lime juice

 

Traditional Margarita from the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

1.5 oz     Tequila

1 oz        Triple Sec or Cointreau

1 oz          Lemon juice

Dash       Salt

New York City’s Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar offers this spicy beauty:

 Mango Habanero Margarita

1 ¾ parts Milagro Silver tequila

¾ parts Orange Curacao

1 part mango puree – Perfect Puree

1 part scratch sour mix

2 slices fresh habanero

4 drops Bitterman’s Hellfire Habanero Shrub – available at Tommy Bahama

 Treadwell Park on New York’s Upper East Side serves this yummy concoction:

 Tempest Negra

1oz Tequila

.75oz Lime

.75oz Simple

Shake Hard and Strain into Pilsner Glass

1.5oz Ginger Beer

Float Milk Stout with a Spoon

Mundo at The Paper Factory Hotel in Long Island City,  New York created this cocktail with a salty rim and just the right amount of kick.

 Pachamama

2 oz Tequila

3/4 oz orange liqueur

3/4 oz lime juice

1/2 oz cucumber extract

1 tsp poblano pepper extract

8 basil leaves