It’s summertime, 41 degrees, and my cousins are coming to my beach house on Thursday night for some good laughs and are obviously expecting some great drinks.
It seems to me like the perfect occasion to make Tequila Sunrise cocktails in a cool and funky new way.
I have made Tequila Sunrise before, and just like everyone, I have used tequila, orange juice and granadine syrup. But this week I will be able to get rid of the sickeningly-sweet-for-lazy-bums grenadine, which never settles well on my stomach.
My good friend Ben came over to stay in my beach house for a few days and he kindly brought me a Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Mix by Quai Sud France to make the whizbangest ever Tequila Sunrise.
Quai Sud France are a manufacturer of Gourmet Delicatessen products inspired by different cuisines from all over the world and have lots of different cocktail mixes for around a tenner as well as teas, herbs and accessories to be the hippest host or to bring a super original present when going to a mate’s. They are all so very cute, I want to try them all!
Origin of the Tequila Sunrise
The Tequila Sunrise originated in the Arizona Biltmore hotel in Phoenix in the late 30’s, when a client asked the barman Gene Sulit to make a refreshing cocktail that he could enjoy while floating in the pool. As he was a frequent customer, Suilt knew that his favourite drink was tequila and he came up wit the following recipe:
- 3,75 cl of white tequila
- 2,25 cl cream of cassis
- 1/4 of the juice of a lime
- 1,25 cl of soda water
Sulit didn’t include orange juice or granadine, but he used cream of cassis instead that was more dense than the other ingredients so it could sink down to the bottom of the glass, creating an effect similar to the sun arising, therefore giving it its name.
Later in 1972, The Rolling Stones were about to start their tour of over 30 American cities. Two bartenders, Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice, made the Stones an infallible drink to calm their nerves that would follow them for their rest of their time as a band. The Stones loved it so much that Tequila Sunrise became the name of the tour, ensuring the drink its place in history as an all time classic cocktail. To the extent that the legendary tequila brand has recently launched a limited edition bottle in their honor.
Ready in: 48 hours
Serves: 20 cocktails
Level: Easy
Ingredients:
- Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Mix (you can find it here)
- 70 cl (1 bottle) of white tequila
- 70 cl of orange juice
- 1 lemon
Method:
- Pour the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Mix into a larger glass bottle with a secure top using a funnel.
- Add the tequila.
- Shake and leave the mix to infuse for 48 hours.
- Pick some nice cocktails glasses and put in a couple of ice cubes.
- Pour some of the tequila drink into the glasses while filtering it with a sieve.
- Add the orange juice (it can be enjoyed on its own, with ice or with soda/sparkling water too).
- Slice a lemon (or lime/orange) and put the slices on the edge of the glasses.
Enjoy with moderation (or not!)
