I view cocktail recipes as if I'm playing a round of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. You know the game. It's where players are challenged to pick a random actor and connect them to another actor via a movie that both actors played in then repeating this until you can make a connection to Kevin Bacon (hopefully in 6 movies or less).
Tonight's lead actors are tequila and Campari. From there, I need to find recipes with: 1) common liquors/mixers found on the most basic of bar carts 2) additional liquors/mixers that ensure each drink is a slight variation of the other. At times, this methodology is easier said than done.
These cocktails are thanks to the wife. As a fan of Chris Morocco from Bon Appetit, she raves about his recipes and the precise nature of his palate. She came across his recent post for the Siesta cocktail that she wanted to try. She also happened to have the Desert Bird cocktail marked. As luck would have it, these cocktails had enough similar ingredients with enough differences to make the cut. To her disappointment though, she ended up liking the Desert Bird better. She said the pinch of salt transformed the drink into a fruiter, refreshing version of a margarita. Let us know what you think!
His Cocktail - Desert Bird
1 1/2 oz Tequila
3/4 oz Pineapple gum (or equal parts simple syrup and pineapple juice)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all the ingredients. Shake until chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice.
Her Cocktail - Siesta
2 oz Tequila
3/4 oz Fresh lime juice
3/4 oz Simple syrup
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Fresh grapefruit juice
Grapefruit slice garnish
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all the ingredients. Shake until chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish.
Happy drinking!