Non Sequitur

The History of the Frozen Margarita Machine
They’re pieces of Americana that changed the country: Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, the Wright Brothers’ plane, Ford’s Model T … and the frozen-margarita machine. All great inventions!

These days, Mariano Hacienda owner Mariano Martinez uses new margarita machines. But their ancestor has a place in his heart – and in the Smithsonian’s American history museum. Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez may not have revolutionized the cotton industry, and he wasn’t the first to fly. But the souped-up soft-serve ice cream machine that he first used to mass-produce frozen margaritas has found its place in history.

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.

“I have a pretty fertile imagination. I have big dreams,” Mr. Martinez said. “But this is beyond what I ever imagined.” It was an idea inspired by a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine and executed by a young restaurant owner trying to stay afloat. As a result, margaritas and Tex-Mex cuisine emerged as an essential part of American culture, Smithsonian officials said.

“To us, it’s a story about American innovation and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Rayna Green, curator of the National Museum of American History. “And it coincides with the very interesting story of Tex-Mex becoming a phenomenon.” In 1971, Mr. Martinez had no designs on becoming an inventor or an icon. He was trying to run a restaurant. Mr. Martinez had grown up around his father’s eatery, El Charo. Tequila was tough to come by then, he said, and the margarita was an exotic drink that most people only consumed on vacations in Mexico.

But the elder Mr. Martinez occasionally would make the frozen drink in a blender for his patrons. When his son opened his own restaurant, he knew that frozen margaritas would help his establishment stand out. The harried bartenders at Mariano’s couldn’t squeeze enough limes or blend the drinks fast enough to keep up with demand, though. Customers complained the signature drink was inconsistent, and it wasn’t even cold. “I saw my dream evaporating,” Mr. Martinez said. “This was my one shot at being somebody.”

A pit stop at a 7-Eleven proved inspiring. Mr. Martinez spotted a Slurpee machine and knew he’d found the answer. He acquired a soft-serve ice cream machine and started mixing. “The challenge was to make each drink taste like a blender margarita,” he said. “We kept experimenting and tasting.” Once Mr. Martinez hit upon the right recipe sugar was the secret ingredient, he said he moved the machine to the bar. “It became an instant success,” he said. “We didn’t have to sell it.” Mr. Martinez never got a patent for his margarita machine, so copycats quickly surfaced.
Excerpt from The History of the Frozen Margarita Machine