Matthew McConaughey is a virtuosic actor, the spirit manimal for University of Texas at Austin sports, and is the latest Hollywood A-lister to try his hand at the tequila business with the launch of his brand Los Pantalones. Due to that latter entrepreneurial endeavor, McConaughey wasn’t about to let National Margarita Day pass without crafting an innovative cocktail to share with the world.
Against all odds, conventional wisdom, and any sort of marg I’ve ever seen schemed up, we have ourselves a pickle margarita that even an Oscar winner couldn’t fake a reaction to if it went south. It got a co-signed, ringing endorsement from celebrity chef Nick DiGiovanni, who himself wouldn’t mince words if the pickle marg wasn’t up to snuff.
I wouldn’t even think to try this on my own. Now curiosity might get the best of me. It looks simple enough, right? Purchase jar of pickles. Dump all pickle juice out of jar, save for a little at the bottom. Pour a copious amount of high-quality tequila in its place. Fill all the way to brim. Add agave, lime. Jalapeno slices for a liddle sizzle. Shake well. Like a salt shaker. Or a shake weight. Remember those? A forlorn sigh. Them’s were the glory days.
McConaughey’s real-life delivery of words might rival what he does on screen. “Marination Nation” is 100% something I wish I would’ve said first (will have to settle for pioneering, or so I tell myself, “Urination Nation” in place of “restroom”). Once the marinating was finished, these fine gents tacked on some dill, tajin seasoning and a pickle for garnish. And lo and behold, the verdict, via McConaughey: “That’s illegally good,” he says, before a sort of sing-songy, “This is better than I thought!”
Didn’t know until this post from McConaughey that it even was, in fact, National Margarita Day. Had no clue that was a thing. There seems to be a National Day for almost everything. A pickle margarita is near the bottom of the list for hypothetical custom flavors I’d spring for to celebrate the occasion. Now, it has suddenly skyrocketed to the very top of my list.
Recently seen starring in Zach Bryan’s “Nine Ball” music video, McConaughey is reportedly being coveted for a lead role in another still-in-development Yellowstone spin-off TV series. That pending decision will no doubt merit a little mental Marination Nation within McConaughey’s marvelous mind. No need to worry about that today, though. Right now, it’s all about this pickle margarita and the droves of folks who’ll be in a rush to get the ingredients together before the clock strikes midnight on National Margarita Day.
