Cinco De Mayo 2017 Is All About The Margarita Bar
A margarita bar at your Cinco de Mayo fiesta is a total win-win situation. Not only does it relieve the host from bartending duties, but it also gives guests a fun and Instagrammable activity to enjoy during your party. Adding this interactive element to your entertaining not only makes your party all the more fun, it also makes it totally on-trend for 2017. Did we say it was just a win-win? Nope, a margarita bar is a win-win-win thing to include.
If you're at a total loss for how to put a fun and stunning margarita bar together, don't worry. We have an easy step-by-step guide for you.
The Equipment
First, you will need a long table on which to place all of the components of your margarita bar. Then, of course, you'll need a set of margarita glasses. Whether you decide to keep your cocktails small and classy with rocks glasses or coupe glasses or want to go all out with big margarita glasses, you really can't go wrong. Don't forget other necessary pieces of equipment, such as cocktail shakers, cocktail spoons, muddlers, and juicers so your guests can compose their drinks. For garnishes, consider toothpicks, mini umbrellas, and zesters.
The Liquor
Of course, you need to start with tequila. Set out 100 percent agave tequila to have the most authentic bar. At minimum, have white, gold, and aged tequilas to allow your guests to pick what flavors best suit their palate. To add a bit of sweetness and variety to your margarita bar, it's also important to have a variety of flavored, fruity liqueurs, such as Cointreau. You can also include other flavored liquors, such as St. Germain, Maraschino, Kruškovac, or Midori.
The Citrus
Forget the sour mixes — a proper margarita bar will have fresh fruit juices, and you don't need much in each drink to help balance out the sharp flavor of tequila. Provide your guests with traditional limes as well as lemons, oranges, grapefruits, blood oranges, and tangerines for endless possibilities. Don't forget to set out juicers so your guests are sipping on citrus juice, not pulp and seeds.
The Salt Rim
No margarita would be complete without a salt rim. Set out small bowls filled with different kosher salt mixes. In addition to a pure salt rim, make mixtures for chili salt, lime zest salt, and sugar salt to give options for a spicy, zesty, and sweet margarita.
Garnishes
Enable your guests to make their margaritas picturesque and beautiful using garnishes. Provide a variety of fresh produce, such as strawberries, kiwi, sliced limes, mango, and jalapenos, so your guests can add bold flavors to their margaritas and make them look stunning. Provide edible flowers and fresh herbs such as thyme and cilantro to add more freshness and beauty to your cocktails and make them truly Instagram-worthy.