Lazy Sunday
When it comes to infusing cocktails with herbs and spices, there is a near-endless plethora of options to choose from. Most commonly you'll see ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla, mint, clove and ginger. But herbs more traditionally used in savory cooking are less common, which makes the turmeric-infused Lazy Sunday so rare. Native to India and areas of Southeast Asia, the golden-hued turmeric is a popular inclusion in many cultures' cooking for its reported health benefits and its subtle, ginger-like flavor. More often than not it is found dried and powdered, as it is in the recipe for the Lazy Sunday. The Lazy Sunday comes from Anna Maceda, the co-owner and bar manager of Italian restaurant and bar Campana in Portland, Oregon. In it, she combines tequila with grapefruit juice, cinnamon syrup and a house made turmeric tea, then tops it with club soda. Tequila and grapefruit are a time-honored combination, with drinks like the Paloma, while the cinnamon syrup adds some gentle heat and sweetness. Topping it with some soda water would make a perfectly delectable highball, but Maceda goes further, dialing up the complexity with her turmeric tea. “Turmeric really balances the sweetness of the other ingredients, and its spice complements the Ceylon cinnamon beautifully,” she says. “Turmeric also has a ton of health benefits thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, and I think a cocktail can be somewhat healthy, too.” As for the name, Maceda says it came naturally. “It was my dream to sit around all day on Sunday and drink these,” she says. “I'm not kidding, it was my fantasy drink.”

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces tequila
  • 1 1/2 ounces grapefruit juice
  • 1 ounce cinnamon syrup
  • 1/4 ounce turmeric tea*
  • Club soda water, to top
  • Garnish: grapefruit twist

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
  3. Top with the soda water.
  4. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.