Tequila Sunrise

The TEQUILA SUNRISE is a sweet, refreshing addition to other late-morning brunch cocktails like the Bloody Mary and Mimosa. This classic drink requires only three ingredients — silver tequila, grenadine and orange juice. It doesn’t even require stirring because the grenadine is meant to sink to the bottom when poured to invoke a sunrise, hence the name. Though I used a standard rocks glass in mine (pictured above), a highball glass filled with ice will more clearly create the grenadine “sunrise.”

• 2 oz. silver (blanco) tequila
• 4 oz. fresh orange juice (squeezed preferred)
• 1/2 oz. grenadine
• Garnish: 1 orange slice and 1 maraschino cherry

Mix tequila and orange juice in a chilled rocks glass or highball glass filled with ice. Top with grenadine, letting it sink to the bottom of the glass. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.

Comments: You can cut back on the sweetness by adding only 1/4 oz. grenadine or only 3 oz. orange juice. It’s a tasty cocktail for late day/evening drinking as well.

History: The Tequila Sunrise dates back to the early 1970’s. Mick Jagger tasted it in 1972 and used it to kick off the Rolling Stones tour, calling it “the cocaine and Tequila Sunrise tour.” The drink made further headwinds into popular culture when the Eagles released a song titled, “Tequila Sunrise” on their DESPERADO album.