![]() ![]() "I kind of didn't want to be there and watch it go out of the building," he said. Martinez.īut when the day arrived two weeks ago, and it was time for the soft-serve-ice-cream-server-turned-margarita-maker to be packed up and sent off to Washington, Mr. "It changed our culture, and it helped promote the popularity of Tex-Mex," Mr. They see me and think, 'He invented that cheap drink.' " But the Smithsonian has brought redemption and the sense that being defined by a frozen drink isn't such a bad thing. "It's really unfortunate that a lot of people have that image. They use cheap tequila and not much of it," he said. ![]() "A lot of bars and restaurants have exploited the margarita machine. As he sipped a top-shelf margarita at Mariano's last week, he lamented the fact that others don't adhere to the same standards. Martinez, 61, still keeps a tight rein on the margarita recipe at his restaurants, tinkering with the ingredients and ensuring that his establishments aren't skimping. "We'll go to see if they're serving," Mr. In fact, they might make a stop at the Smithsonian during a trip to Washington, D.C., in February. Customers Carolyn and Earl Bullock of Murphy said the famous cocktail has kept them coming back to Mariano's for years. "Probably about 70 percent of the drinks I serve are frozen margaritas," said Juan Sotelo, the head bartender. Martinez flows out of four shiny machines. At the bar, the frozen concoction made famous by Mr. Martinez' invention resided until last month. A news release from the Smithsonian now hangs where Mr. Green, a former Dallas resident and a devoted fan of Tex-Mex, said she is hopeful that it will be shown in a future exhibit.Īt Mariano's Hacienda in northeast Dallas, the restaurant seems a bit empty without the original machine. "No, it's not the Model T, but we have lots of things in the museum that are little innovations that became important." For now, the margarita machine sits in storage at the Smithsonian. "It's a really good story about the rise of a young, smart businessman who made this incredible choice at the right time," she said. Museum officials spent more than a year researching the history of the frozen margarita and verifying its origins. Green of the Smithsonian said there's no doubt where the credit belongs. "To me, it was just a way of producing consistent, quality, cold margaritas." But Dr. "I never dreamed that I invented anything," Mr. ![]() Soon, other bars and restaurants were pouring frozen margaritas, and a few claimed to have acquired "Mariano's secret recipe." Martinez never got a patent for his margarita machine, so copycats quickly surfaced. Martinez hit upon the right recipe sugar was the secret ingredient, he said he moved the machine to the bar. "We kept experimenting and tasting." Once Mr. "The challenge was to make each drink taste like a blender margarita," he said. He acquired a soft-serve ice cream machine and started mixing. Martinez spotted a Slurpee machine and knew he'd found the answer. "This was my one shot at being somebody."Ī pit stop at a 7-Eleven proved inspiring. Customers complained the signature drink was inconsistent, and it wasn't even cold. The harried bartenders at Mariano's couldn't squeeze enough limes or blend the drinks fast enough to keep up with demand, though. When his son opened his own restaurant, he knew that frozen margaritas would help his establishment stand out. Martinez occasionally would make the frozen drink in a blender for his patrons. ![]() The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History recently acquired the 34-year-old machine, adding it to a collection that includes cultural markers ranging from the original Star-Spangled Banner to Tupperware wonder bowls.īut the elder Mr. But the souped-up soft-serve ice cream machine that he first used to mass-produce frozen margaritas has found its place in history. Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez may not have revolutionized the cotton industry, and he wasn't the first to fly. But their ancestor has a place in his heart - and in the Smithsonian's American histor museum. These days, Mariano Hacienda owner Mariano Martinez uses new margarita machines. They're pieces of Americana that changed the country: Eli Whitney's cotton gin, the Wright Brothers' plane, Ford's Model T. This is an interesting story if you have ever wondered who thought of the frozen margarita machine!īy COLLEEN McCAIN NELSON / The Dallas Morning News ![]()
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