Don’t let the name fool you – it would be a mistake to sleep on this cocktail! If you love a Margarita, try the Siesta. It hits all the same notes, but with some interesting touches that make it much more complex than it’s better-known cousin. Grapefruit juice and Campari give it a bright, bitter finish and – to me – just a hint of salinity. The tequila/Campari combo reminded me a bit of the Earthbound, another great tequila cocktail that I haven’t mixed up in a long while.
Though I called it a relative of the Margarita, the Siesta is actually a riff on the Hemingway Daiquiri. Its creator, Kate Stipe, substituted tequila for the rum and Campari for the maraschino liqueur. The result tastes almost nothing like its inspiration, but it’s a formula that works.
History of the Siesta Cocktail
The Siesta was created by Katie Stipe in 2006 while she was working at the Flatiron Lounge in New York City. This was a period when the craft cocktail renaissance was still in its infancy, and Campari and tequila were both unusual ingredients at the time. The drink slowly spread to other bars in New York and eventually across the country and around the world, becoming something of a modern classic.
Siesta
1 1/2 oz. tequila (type unspecified; I used Espolon Blanco)
3/4 oz. lime juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
1/4 oz. Campari
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a lime wheel.
Recipe from Modern Classic Cocktails by Robert Simonson.