The three best friends of Sweet Magnolias, Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott), and Helen (Heather Headley), meet up for Margarita Night at least once a week, where they confide in each other about their troubles and celebrate their wins over tasty tequila drinks.
The topic of discussion for these sacred get-togethers might change each week. But the drinks always look delicious because of the meticulous research of Stephanie Postich, Sweet Magnolias’ props mistress (whose credits include Slanted, 21 Down, and On a Wing and a Prayer). From the glasses to the garnishes to the color, “so much thought, preparation, and time go into the creating and running of these drinks on set to ensure they are done safely and look beautiful on camera,” she tells Tudum. “I have really learned so much about drink and food styling through my years of being on this show.”
When Postich chooses a drink for the ladies, she always investigates different flavor combinations while keeping in mind what would be in season in the fictional town Serenity, South Carolina at any given time. She also takes the actors’ dietary restrictions into consideration. “As much as I would love to do a pickle margarita, one of the actors cannot stand the smell of pickles, which I also understand!” she says. “The same goes for lavender.”
Much of the physical preparation depends on whether the margs are frozen or on the rocks. During filming, the frozen margaritas will have to be blended between each take to ensure they look their best. The non-alcoholic blends “usually taste like a smoothie,” she reveals.
For margaritas on the rocks, Postich uses water and her special ingredient: white food coloring. “The white food coloring gives it an opacity that helps sell that it’s a real margarita,” she says.
If you want to have your own Margarita Night at home while you tune in to Sweet Magnolias Season 5, showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson has shared her favorite recipe with Tudum: “Helen’s Lethal Margaritas,” featured in Sweet Magnolias author Sherryl Woods’ The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook and recreated onscreen in Season 2 of the series.
“It is a pretty classic frozen margarita, but aptly named ‘lethal’ because of the proportions!” says Anderson. “It’s straightforward and simple, so you’re not going to have to peel fruit or go to some exotic fruit market somewhere. It’s all at your grocery store, and you can mix it up with a blender so when your girlfriends come over to watch with you, you’ll only have to hit pause for about five minutes to make a new batch.”
For a touch of sparkle and to elevate the look of your margarita, Postich recommends using edible glitter. “I am also a sucker for a great garnish,” she says. “The garnish could range from fruits to candy or flowers! Use your own creativity and have fun with it!” For a snack pairing, she suggests a charcuterie board — “always. That is another element that has so much range, and can pair so well with a margarita.”
Below, find the recipe for “Helen’s Lethal Margaritas,” which makes four servings if you want to pour it out with your own group of friends!
blender
4 margarita glasses
1 can (6oz) frozen limeade concentrate
¾ cup tequila
¼ cup triple sec or Grand Marnier
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1. Fill the container of a blender with 4 cups of ice.
2. Add all ingredients.
3. Secure the lid on the blender, and blend until it’s smooth.
4. Pour into 4 salt-rimmed margarita glasses.
5. Enjoy!
Pour it out with Sweet Magnolias Season 5 now, only on Netflix.
