Margaritas are a popular tequila cocktail often served as an accompaniment to Mexican food, and it's a refreshing drink for warm summer nights or for relaxing with friends. Once blended with the other ingredients, the tequila is smooth and palatable, losing much of its strong flavor.

The main ingredient in a standard margarita is tequila, usually about 2 oz. worth. Lime juice, Triple Sec and another fruit juice, often pineapple, is added to taste. Garnish the edge of the margarita glass with salt by first dipping rimming the glass in lime juice then in salt. Ice is added, and the margarita blend is poured over the top.

Unlike a normal margarita that is served over ice, a frozen margarita has the alcohol and other ingredients blended with crushed ice. Any margarita recipe can be turned into a frozen margarita. Generally, a frozen margarita contains about 2 oz. tequila and 2 oz. Triple Sec. Add frozen fruits, lime concentrate and other flavorings as desired. Either pour the blended margarita over the crushed ice or blend it with ice in a blender.

Fruity and refreshing, a fruit margarita's sweetness tempers the taste of the tequila and other alcohols in the mix. Fruit margaritas work well as virgin, or non-alcoholic, versions as they aren't supposed to have an overpowering tequila flavor. A traditional margarita glass is garnished with salt around the rim, but fruit margaritas usually use sugar as it better complements the fruit flavors. Raspberries, strawberries, orange and melons all work well in a fruit margarita.

A more potent drink, these combine the standard tequila with other alcohols to create a gourmet drink. Brandy, Grand Marnier and Amaretto are a few choices. They combine a standard amount of tequila with 2 oz. or more of a top-shelf liquor. Triple Sec still might be added, or the other liquor might replace it completely.

Virgin margaritas provide much the same taste of a margarita without the alcohol content. Limeade or a non-alcoholic margarita mix is combined with non-alcoholic beer and lime juice. Fruit or fruit juice also might be added, particularly with frozen virgin margaritas.