Siesta Cocktail Recipe

Before you start

The Siesta is a tequila sour with a splash of Campari and grapefruit, usually credited to bartender Katie Stipe in New York in the mid-2000s. Think of it as a Hemingway-style daiquiri moved to tequila, with Campari standing in for maraschino. It is bright pink, bracing and much lighter than its color suggests.

Campari plays a supporting role here: 15 ml is enough to add bitterness and color without turning the drink into a Negroni relative. Grapefruit softens the lime and links to the Campari's citrus peel notes. Blanco tequila with clean, peppery agave flavor works best; save aged tequilas for stirred drinks.

Ingredients

• 45 ml (1½ oz) blanco tequila — 100% agave
• 15 ml (½ oz) Campari
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh grapefruit juice — pink or ruby, strained
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh lime juice
• 15 ml (½ oz) simple syrup (1:1)
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for shaking
• 1 thin grapefruit or lime wheel — optional garnish

Method

1. Chill a coupe. Juice the grapefruit and lime and strain both through a fine strainer.
2. Measure the tequila, Campari, grapefruit juice, lime juice and simple syrup into the shaker.
3. Fill two-thirds with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds, until the tin is frosted.
4. Double-strain into the chilled coupe. Garnish with a thin grapefruit or lime wheel, or leave it plain.

Tips for success

• Pink and ruby grapefruit are sweeter than white. If you only have white grapefruit, add 5 ml more syrup.
• Grapefruit juice turns bitter within hours. Squeeze it shortly before mixing, like lime.
• This drink also works over ice in a rocks glass for a slower, more diluted sip.

Substitutions

Campari

Aperol gives a softer, sweeter drink; drop the simple syrup to 7 ml to compensate.

Simple syrup

Use 10 ml of light agave syrup for a rounder, more vegetal sweetness.

Blanco tequila

Mezcal makes a smoky Siesta; a half-and-half split keeps it balanced.

Troubleshooting

It tastes harsh and bitter

The grapefruit was old or the Campari over-measured. Use fresh juice and level the Campari at 15 ml.

It is too tart

Limes and grapefruit vary. Add 5 ml syrup and taste again.

The color looks dull orange

Your grapefruit is white or very pale. Ruby grapefruit gives the bright pink look.

Storage

Serve right after shaking. Squeezed citrus loses brightness within a few hours, so juice it the day you mix. Simple syrup keeps about 2 to 4 weeks refrigerated; discard it if it turns cloudy.

Safety notes

Contains about 45 ml of 40% ABV tequila and 15 ml of Campari, roughly 1.2 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Grapefruit can interact with some prescription medicines; check with a pharmacist if unsure. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age, and never drink and drive.