Ingredients

  • 1 fresh grapefruit
  • 3 ounces silver tequila
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 ounce Rosemary Simple Syrup (recipe below)
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Rosemary Simple Syrup

MAKES 1.75 CUP

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 (5-inch) stalks fresh rosemary

Grapefruit & Rosemary Tequila Mockingbird

The original Tequila Mockingbird cocktail is believed to have been developed in the 1960s in honor of Monroeville, Alabama’s Harper Lee and her little book To Kill a Mockingbird. This recipe forgoes the classic ingredient of creme de menthe and replaces it with the more fragrant, fresh, and flavorful combinations of rosemary and grapefruit. Add another layer of complexity to this drink by including a couple of drops of pepper-infused bitters if you like!

MAKES 2 COCKTAILS

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Directions

Peel two 1-inch strips of grapefruit and set aside for garnish. Halve the grapefruit and squeeze enough for 3 ounces of fresh juice.

Fill a shaker with cubed ice and add the fresh grapefruit juice, tequila, lime juice, and Rosemary Simple Syrup. Shake well and strain into 2 coupe glasses. Garnish each with a grapefruit peel and a fresh rosemary sprig.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

MAKES 1.75 CUP

Directions

Combine 1 3/4 cups water with the sugar and rosemary in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a container and remove the rosemary stalks and leaves and discard. Let the syrup cool, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Want the reward without the effort? Visit your favorite Tupelo Honey location for craft cocktails and scratchmade Southern fare!