The friendship between Jennifer Aniston and Molly McNearney started, as so many of the best friendships do, in a kitchen — the one McNearney shares with her husband, Jimmy Kimmel. Their friend and Aniston’s ex, Justin Theroux, had brought the "Friends" star over for pizza six years ago, when she was still his new girlfriend.

"At first I was a bit starstruck that Rachel Green was standing near my bananas," McNearney (who is also the co-head writer of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!") confesses in the intro to a Q&A with Aniston she did for InStyle magazine’s September issue.

Aniston – who, McNearney recalls, "smelled like vacation" — quickly disarmed her new pal with a hug and by plucking a lime off a tree "for her vodka rocks" – not to mention by engaging in a little "Bachelor" chatter.

Turns out, Aniston’s barkeep handiness made a lasting impression. McNearney, while discussing with the actress her role as a former beauty-pageant queen in the film "Dumplin'," suggests that, in the unlikely event that Aniston should ever need to compete in a pageant, her talent could be mixing a killer margarita.

The suggestion comes after Aniston asserts that she lacks a pageant-worthy skill.

"My talents are not baton twirling or Hula-Hooping or tap dancing or ventriloquism or yodeling. I would be eliminated right away. Out. No talent," the actress says.

But McNearney knows better. "How about you get up on stage and make a margarita? You’re really good at that," she says, requesting that Aniston "tell us how" she makes what we’re guessing is her signature drink.

"Oh, lord, it’s barely a recipe. It’s basically silver tequila with lime juice shaken and over rocks," Aniston shares. "And some people like a little Cointreau, some don’t. It’s a cleaner margarita. No sugar, no mixes, no agave. I don’t like sweet drinks."

The recipe sounds like a winner — as if the hair alone wouldn’t nab her the crown ...

Photo: iStock

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