I can’t remember where I picked up this trick, but I’ve been doing it for years now: whenever I serve a margarita, I always salt half the rim. After either chilling a glass or running a lime along the edge, I gently press half the glass’s rim over a saucer of salt, rotating it slowly and being careful not to get any inside the glass. But why salt only half the rim? Well, it’s all about hospitality.

The salt-vs.-no-salt controversy arises any time I make margaritas for a group, so the best approach is to give every guest both options. Salt fans can drink from the salted side of the glass, while those morally opposed to salted rims can turn the glass around and ignore the salt. With a half-salted rim, a guest can even change her/his mind about the salt without having to ask for a new glass. Giving guests options is a trademark of good hospitality, and whether you’re tending a bar professionally or making drinks for friends at home, hospitality is the cornerstone of bartending.

I can’t think of a culture or religion where hospitality isn’t celebrated. Whether it’s the Greek gods showing up for dinner or all the people who welcomed Jesus into their homes, hospitality is a big deal to cultures ancient and modern. While hospitality may look different across different settings, it always boils down to recognizing and addressing the needs of anyone who walks through your door. Hospitality is the first and most crucial responsibility of a bartender, and I wonder what our culture could look like if everyone placed it at such a high priority.