Siesta Cocktail: A Fusion of Mexico and Italy

You won't want to take a siesta when you sip a Siesta cocktail. This tequila cocktail is fun and sophisticated with a pink color and complex flavor. Plus, it's so easy to craft at home that you can drink a Siesta and then take one too.

Siesta CocktailPhoto by2foodtrippers

Mexico and Italy, more than 6,000 miles and an ocean apart, are the opposite of neighbors. However, maps don't matter when it comes to mixology....

The two distant countries form a cocktail pact in the Siesta, a drink crafted with both Mexico's tequila and Italy's Campari. And the best part? This meeting of nations can happen in a glass anywhere in the world.

What Is the Siesta Cocktail?

The Siesta Cocktail blends five ingredients to create a tipple that's simultaneously fun and sophisticated. Its festive pink color provides a vibrant visual escape while the cocktail's complex combination of bitter, sweet and citrus flavors provides complexity.

History of the Siesta Cocktail

Although the Siesta has a combination of liquors that make both Italy and Mexico proud, its roots aren't in either of those countries. Instead, the Siesta is a native of New York City.

Katie Stipe was ahead of her time when she crafted the first Siesta with tequila and Campari at the now closed Flatiron Lounge in 2006. At that time, neither tequila nor Campari was as popular as they are today.

Stipe was probably inspired by Cuba's Hemingway Daiquiri since the two drinks are somewhat similar. She replaced the Hemingway's Daiquiri's rum and maraschino liqueur with the aforementioned tequila and Campari - a seemingly simple move that delivered big results.

While we prefer the Siesta's balanced flavor over the Hemingway Daiquiri's more citrusy punch, you'll have to sip both sour cocktails to find your personal favorite between the two.

Ingredients

Crafting a Siesta cocktail shouldn't cause fatigue. If it does, you can take a siesta after you gather the following necessary ingredients:

• 2 ounces blanco tequila
• ½ ounce Campari
• ½ ounce grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
• ½ ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• lime wheel (garnish)
• ice cubes (for shaking)

You can use your favorite blanca (i.e. clear) tequila in this recipe. We used Jose Cuerva Especial since that's the Mexican tequila that was in our home bar. You can use a better tequila like Patron if that's how you roll. However, you'll definitely want to use Campari since there's no substitute for the iconic Italian bitter.

How to Craft a Siesta Cocktail

The first step in this recipe is to measure tequila and Campari and pour both into a shaker. We use a Japanese jigger to ensure accurate measurements and avoid spillage.

Pour simple syrup into the shaker. While it's possible to buy simple syrup online, we prefer to make simple syrup at home.

Pro Tip: Make simple syrup by mixing equal parts of water and sugar in a saucepan and bringing the mixture to a boil until the sugar is just dissolved. Remove from heat immediately and let cool.

Pour freshly squeezed grapefruit and lime juices into the shaker.

Add ice to the shaker and shake for 20 seconds. We like to use a Boston shaker for this and other cocktail recipes to avoid leakage.

Strain into a coupe glass.

Garnish with a lime wheel.

Pro Tip: Cut the lime wheel before you squeeze the lime.

Variations

After you sip your Siesta drink and take a siesta, you may be energized to try one or all of the following Siesta alternatives:

• Ramp up the Campari and leave out the simple syrup to craft a more bitter Siesta cocktail.
• Leave out the Campari, grapefruit juice and simple syrup to craft a Margarita cocktail.
• Replace the tequila with rum and the maraschino liqueur with Campari to craft a Hemingway Daiquiri cocktail.
• Start your day with a Tequila Sunrise cocktail crafted with tequila, grenadine and orange juice.

This recipe was originally published on 2foodtrippers. Consider subscribing to 2foodtrippers if you enjoyed it.