The Perfect Margarita

Ingredients:

Cocktail

• Lime wedges, for garnishing glasses
• Seasoned salt, for garnishing glasses (see below)
• 360 ml of silver tequila
• 170 g freshly squeezed lime juice
• 90 ml orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)
• 3 tbsp. ultrafine sugar

Smoked orange salt

• 3 oranges
• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
• Coarse salt

Sweet and spicy lime salt

• 4 limes
• A large pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp. sugar

Hot salt with hibiscus

• 2 tbsp. l. dried hibiscus
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt

Preparation:

1. Wet the rims of 6 whiskey glasses with a lime wedge or water, then press each glass into coarse salt to adhere.
2. Combine tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and sugar in a pitcher and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add ice just before serving. Pour into prepared glasses.
3. Smoked orange salt:
   
   Grate the orange zest onto a paper towel-lined plate. Microwave until the zest is dry, stirring every 30 seconds, about 1.5 minutes. Transfer the zest to a spice grinder along with the smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Grind, then toss with 1.5 tablespoons of coarse salt.
4. Sweet and spicy lime salt:
   
   Grate the lime zest onto a paper towel-lined plate. Microwave until the zest is dry, stirring every 30 seconds, about 1.5 minutes. Transfer the zest to a spice grinder along with 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Grind, then combine with the cayenne pepper, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of coarse salt.
   
   Hot salt with hibiscus:
   
   Grind the hibiscus flowers into a powder in a spice grinder, then mix with salt.