Beth from DC wants to know the secret to Austin, Texas margaritas

Margarita served up in a chilled martini glass

My response to Beth: Your friend from the Alamo City is right about adding a splash of OJ, but there are more things to make em just right.

You must start with fresh lime juice — you can buy it at Whole Foods if you don’t want to squeeze.

I prefer Cointreau as my orange liqueur but any will work.

Your tequila must be 100 percent agave, silver or gold, to taste. Silver has a more tangy bite while gold is smoother and sweeter. I prefer a reposado.

Let’s talk about sweetness. I like mine more tart than most, so I don’t add sugar to mine. But for most people, you’ll need more sweetener than just the Cointreau and OJ. I highly recommend agave nectar for this.

Finally, a spash of 7Up is nice. That’s because a real margarita is too concentrated for most people, and you’ll get some sweetening AND some dilution this way.

Speaking of dilution, if your unique concoction doesn’t need any dilution, then serve them “up” in chilled stemmed margarita or even martini glasses, with a lime wedge for presentation. Wet the outside of the glass and put in freezer for an hour. But it’s OK to serve in anything and over crushed ice if you prefer. After all, they’re perfect for the lake or pool, so you don’t have to go elegant.

I also like to put a splash of olive juice in — it’s a nice little ripoff of a Mexican martini, much like the 7up and OJ are.

A real margarita is nothing but tequila, lime and cointreau, but after 20 years of making them, I know these secrets make em better for most people. If you add a little sweet & sour to all of the above, that’s a Mexican martini, but I do not recommend messing with sweet & sour if you don’t know what you’re doing. It can wreck a margarita.

I wish I were there to make them for you — I do like to bartend. Oh, and don’t forget cocktail napkins!

I’ll be on standby if you get in a pickle because margs are serious business.

Oh, one more thing, top secret — mix and serve with confidence — like an umpire making a close call, you gotta sell it.