Why wait for Cinco de Mayo for a classic Tequila Sunrise cocktail?

May 3, 1:16 PMKansas City Cocktails ExaminerAngie Rayfield

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Every good bartender should have a Tequila Sunrise recipe at hand.

The Tequila Sunrise is a certainly a classic cocktail, popular not only at Cinco de Mayo, but all year round. You don't have to be a tequila drinker to recognize the colorful combination of grenadine and orange juice. But the modern drink, also called a Tequila Stinger, looks very different from the original.

As the story goes, the Tequila Sunrise was invented by a bartender at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona. Back in the late 1930's, a guest told bartender Gene Sulit that he wanted a tequila drink that would be refreshing to enjoy by the pool. Sulit was up for the challenge, and combined tequila, creme de casis, fresh lime and club soda. The Tequila Sunrise was born.

Today's Tequila Sunrise Recipe - the Tequila Stinger

• 2 oz. tequila
• 4 oz. orange juice
• 3/4 oz. grenadine
• crushed ice

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the tequila, and top off with orange juice. Pour the grenadine into the glass, but do not stir. Allow the grenadine to settle to the bottom of the drink before serving, and garnish with a slice of fresh orange and a maraschino cherry.

The Original Arizona Biltmore Tequila Sunrise Recipe

• 1 1/4 oz. tequila
• 3/4 oz. creme de casis
• Fresh lime
• Club soda
• Crushed ice

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add tequila, creme de cassis, and a squeeze of lime, but do not stir. Top off glass with club soda. Served garnished with a lime slice.

Of course, for every sunrise, there must be a sunset. To create the Tequila Sunset, substitute blackberry brandy for the grenadine. You can also create Sunrise on the Volga by using vodka instead of tequila, or a Malibu Sunrise by substituting coconut rum.