By Christopher Trela | NB Indy What ’ s the most popular cocktail in the world ?

According to Decanter . com and other websites , the Margarita comes out on top when it comes to cocktails .

The classic tequila and lime mix is followed in popularity by the rum-based Mojito and Piña Colada in second and third places respectively , with the Old Fashioned in fourth place .

The research is based on Google search data for 115 countries , using the name of the cocktail , plus the search term “ recipe ” to filter out any unrelated searches .

Margaritas topped the search list in 30 countries , including the UK , USA , Canada and Australia , as well as France , Spain and Germany , Japan and Vietnam . There are around 546,280 online searches for Margarita recipes worldwide per month .

According to the Last Call Trivia website , the exact origin of the Margarita is up for debate . One of the most popular theories is that Carlos “ Danny ” Herrera created the drink at his Tijuana-area restaurant , Rancho La Gloria , around 1938 . According to the story , Herrera developed the recipe for one of his customers , an aspiring actress named Marjorie King . King was allergic to all hard alcohol other than tequila , so Herrera combined the elements of a tequila shot into

Margarita at Olea Newport Beach

a refreshing cocktail that would meet her picky preferences .

Another person who has claimed to have invented the drink is Margarita Sames , a wealthy Dallas socialite . Sames said she first concocted the drink for her friends at her Acapulco vacation home in 1948 . However , the timeline of her story does raise doubts . According to The Complete Book of Spirits , the first importer of Jose Cuervo in the U . S . advertised with the tagline , “ Margarita : it ’ s more than a girl ’ s name ,” in 1945 . Since this was three years before Sames claimed to have invented the drink , it ’ s questionable

whether she was the first to have coined the cocktail .

But despite the complicated history of the drink itself , there is one important element of the cocktail that can be pinpointed . The first frozen Margarita machine was invented in 1971 by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez . Martinez was having trouble perfecting the drink as bartenders complained they took too long to make and customers thought the finished product melted too quickly . After being inspired by a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine , Martinez transformed a soft-serve ice cream machine into a Margarita machine . It was a huge success , and Martinez ’ s original machine now resides in the Smithsonian Museum .

As a tribute to the cocktail ’ s popularity , SoCal ’ s favorite cocktail event , Margarita Crawl , will return Sunday , April 23 through Saturday , April 29 .

Presented by Tequila Herradura , the weeklong event will take place at more than 50 participating restaurants throughout Orange County , including a handful in Newport Beach .

“ The Margarita is a noble cocktail that balances tangy , salty and sweet to create something special , and during this week , restaurants will utilize Herradura and their own flair to create unique , noteworthy libations ,” commented Pamela Waitt ,

president of the Orange County Restaurant Association , which produces Margarita Crawl . “ This is the perfect opportunity for diners throughout the southland to explore restaurants , sip margaritas and enjoy life while supporting local eateries .”

Diners have the opportunity to search the list of participating restaurants by name and city on the Margarita Crawl website : https :// margaritacrawl . com .

Newport Beach participating restaurants : Chihuahua Cerveza Taproom , Malarky ’ s , Muldoon ’ s Irish Pub , OEB Breakfast Co ., Olea , Red O Restaurant , Stag Bar + Kitchen , Super Panga .

Chihuahua Cerveza Taproom has two margaritas available : Herradura Paloma ($ 12 ) with grapefruit juice , herradura blanco , agave and lime , and a Pineapple Eclipse ($ 14 ) with el silencio mezcal , herradura blanco , pineapple , lime and agave . They are pairing those with their fresh made guac and full salsa bar ($ 10 ), and the Al pastor tacos cut from the Trompo and grilled with fresh pineapple ($ 5.50 ea .).

Muldoon ’ s Irish Pub in Fashion Island is offering a Cilantro Lime margarita ($ 12 ) with Herradura Silver , muddled fresh jalapeño and cilantro , lime & agave ; and Fresa Fresca ($ 12 ) with Herradura Silver ,

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