Years a go a eulogy aired on National Public Radio's All
Things Considered for a man named Carlos "Danny" Herrera, who'd
passed away at the age of 90 in San Diego. Although the name rang no bells, he
left a legacy known far and wide. He had created one of the world's most famous
cocktails the Margarita.
On a wistful note in recognition of Herrera's passing, host
Noah Adams unraveled the tale of how Herrera came to invent the drink that is
virtually synonymous with Mexico. It was 1992, and San Diego was paying homage
to Herrera who had been born and raised in Mexico City at the turn of the
century, but had moved to San Diego five years before his death
RANCHO LA GLORIA
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Herrera had worked
his way across Mexico as a young man, settling just south of Tijuana in 1929.
Herrera and his wife built their house in the rugged countryside of Baja
California. They added a bar in their home to entertain friends.
More and more people dropped in so they decided to open for
business, and a few years later, they added a restaurant. Then came ten hotel rooms
and a swimming pool along with a booming clientele from across the border.
Rosarita Beach just down the road was becoming a fashionable getaway for the
Hollywood crowd and Carlos' place was an easy pit stop for a quick refreshment
on the dusty Baja road.
By 1935 traffic was heavy. Carlos was a friendly guy with a
quick wit and his bar-restaurant, named Rancho La Gloria after his daughter,
attracted stars and socialites who stopped in regularly before continuing south
to Rosarita Beach or Ensenada.
A STARLET IS BORN
Among the bar's clientele was an actress named Marjorie
King. While all her friends were taking advantage of Carlos' talents as
bartender, Ms. King did not partake in the afternoon revelry. She had an
unusual problem. She was allergic, so the tale went, to all alcohol except
tequila.
What luck, Carlos cajoled. Tequila is the national drink of
Mexico, he said as he poured the actress a straight shot of the clear, strong
liquid, brought out a plate of fresh limes, and set a salt shaker beside her on
the bar. Marjorie wrinkled her pretty nose, gave Carlos a "not so
fast" look, and informed him she hated the taste of it.
What was a girl to do? In those wild and reckless days not
long after Prohibition, how could one sit idly by and not join in the fun?
Herrera was determined to put an end to Ms. King's misery. He went to work.
ULTIMATE CONCOCTION
Herrera decided he would create the ultimate concoction for
the attractive actress. He started experimenting and came up with a winner:
three parts white tequila, two parts triple sec, one part fresh lime juice, a
pinch of sugar. As the day was hot, he added shaved ice and blended the mixture
with a shaker. Ms. King liked the looks of the drink immediately, Herrera
reportedly said.
But how to serve it? Marjorie King was no ordinary gal, and
Herrera wanted to pay tribute to her sense of style. Something special was
needed. He grabbed a champagne glass, dipped its rim in lemon juice, and
twirled it in a bowl of salt. Re-shaking the contents, he then poured the
frothy liquid into the champagne glass and presented it to the starlet.
The result: the soon-to-be famous Margarita, shaken, not
stirred. And what a coincidence. The drink included all the ingredients of a
traditional tequila shooter -- tequila, lime and salt, but in a more appealing
package.
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