Bring on the margaritas! It's National Margarita Day February 22

We at Kurman have never met a margarita we haven’t loved. There’s something about the unique blend of fresh fruit, ice and our beloved tequila that sends our hearts a flutter. While most people look forward to traditional holidays like Christmas and Halloween, our favorite holiday has always been National Margarita Day on February 22.

This year we plan on celebrating this glorious vacation-like holiday at Guanajuato (73 Green Bay Rd. in Glencoe, Ill.) not its namesake city in Mexico. Featuring more than 40 tequilas, aficionados have the choice of savoring it by the shot, in a specialty cocktail or, our personal favorite, in a delicious brimming-over-the-top margarita. Guanajuato offers classic flavors such as mango, strawberry and lime as well as specialty margaritas including their Mango and Blood Orange Margarita with a little paprika for spiciness, Acai Pomegranate Margarita, and Spicy Margarita made with jalapenos!

Other great places to celebrate include Bistro One West (1 W. Illinois St., St. Charles, Ill.). They feature a variety of margaritas including an Acai Margarita made with tequila, Veev liquor and lime juice and Agave Spice made with agave tequila, lemonade, cinnamon and a splash of lemonade served in a cinnamon sugar rimmed glass.

Or check out Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (25 E. Ohio St., Chicago, Ill. and 960 Milwaukee Ave., Linconshire, Ill.). They will custom make the margarita(s) of your dreams!

As if one day isn’t enough, according to http://www.foodimetary.com/, February 18-20 is National Margarita Weekend! What a wonderful excuse to drink Margarita’s all weekend long, take a break on Monday, nurse the hangover and then celebrate yet again on Tuesday!

Why, you may ask, is Margarita Day a national holiday and where did margaritas come from? According to http://www.nochelatina.com/, some say that the world-famous tequila drink was named after Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth, who was originally known as Margarita Cansino the dancer. Others claim that bartender Carlos “Danny” Herrera created it at his Tijuana-based restaurant for a beautiful showgirl who was allergic to hard alcohol. The world may never know why Margarita Day is a holiday or why it was created, but on average American’s drink 185,000 margaritas per hour, which makes it practically a patriotic duty to down Margaritas by the armful.

There are a myriad of different ways to enjoy National Margarita Day (and weekend!) Where will you be celebrating?