Category Archives: Tequila

The Tequila Sunrise

Originally created at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in the 1930ies, its first revival is due to a 1972 Rolling Stones party at the Trident in Sausalito where Mick Jagger liked it so much that he and his entourage started drinking them down and making the drink popular, although the 1988 film by the same name starring Michelle PfeifferMel Gibson and Kurt Russell also did it’s part.

  • 1½ oz tequila
  • ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ oz grenadine syrup
  • garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange slice

Pour tequila and orange juice and mix together. In a tall glass, fill with ice cubes and pour in mixture. The secret is the red to yellow gradient. Take grenadine and slowly add it in to allow it to fall to the bottom. Take an orange slice and maraschino cherry and garnish.

The Twisted Swan

Created for the film “Black Swan” (2010), this cocktail makes no pretence whether the white or black swan has the high-ground.

Erica: “What happened to my sweet girl?”
Nina: “She’s gone!”

  • 1½ oz. Black Raspberry Liqueur
  • 1 oz. Maestro Dobel Tequila
  • ½ oz. Amaretto

Shake tequila and amaretto with ice, strain into chocolate-rimmed Martini glass, shake raspberry liqueur with ice and layer on top of the tequila and amaretto mixture.

The Departini

Created for the launch party of the film “The Departed” (2006) and in honour of Martin Scorsese, who finally raked in the directing Oscar which had eluded him despite films such as “Raging Bull”“Taxi Driver” and “Goodfellas”.

  • 2 parts Tequila
  • 1 part Cognac
  • 1 part Cointreau
  • 1 Tablespoon agave nectar
  • squeeze of lime juice
  • lemon
  • wedge for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake well, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Annie’s Tequila Cocktail

Perhaps the obvious choice of a Manhattan is not a fitting one for Annie, played by Diane Keaton in the Academy Award-winning film ”Annie Hall” (1977), it certainly doesn’t fit her personality nor her dress style (the latter created by costume designer Ruth Morley (right) prompted ”The Annie Hall Look”, the “layering of oversized, mannish blazers over vests, billowy trousers or long skirts, a man’s tie, and boots” [2]).

A few attempts at creating a fitting drink for someone ”who grew up in a Norman Rockwell painting” have been made; personally I liked best this foamy lavender-pinkish creation found at thestar.com ‘s “Food and Drink” [1], which is… what was it I wanted to add? … oh well … “la-dee-da, la-dee-da.”

*The Annie Hall Cocktail”

  • 2 oz tequila blanco
  • 1/2 oz lavender syrup (see below)
  • 1 oz white grapefruit juice
  • 1 egg white
  • grapefruit twist to garnish
  • ice

Lavender Simple Syrup:

  • 1 cup (250 mL) water
  • 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried lavender

For the lavender syrup, bring water and sugar to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan and add lavender. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, strain, discard lavender and refrigerate until chilled.

For the cocktail, shake (without ice) tequila, syrup, juice and egg white in a cocktail shaker, add ice; and shake again 25 to 30 times. Strain ingredients into a coupe and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

[1] http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/recipes/2010/09/07/the_annie_hall.html
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Hall#Legacy_and_influence