Jaleo's '1959' Tomatina Cocktail

The "1959" Tomatina cocktail at Jaleo

In honor of the Tomatina Festival, the world’s largest tomato festival and food fight held every year in Buñol, Valencia, Spain, Jaleo is offering up a tomato-inspired cocktail.

The “1959” – named for the year the festival was officially approved — is a refreshing concoction of tomato water, fresh basil and gin created by ThinkFoodGroup’s lead bartender Owen Thomson. It runs $12.

Jaleo is also celebrating the tomato with special menu items such as chilled tomato soup with strawberries and yogurt, grilled lamb T-bone with tomato confit and fried green tomatoes with Valdeón cheese now through Oct. 2.

If you’re interested in hosting your own tomato-themed fiesta, check out the recipe for the "1959" below.

"1959" Tomatina Cocktail
courtesy Jaleo

1.5 ounces Plymouth gin
3/4 ounce tomato water, from the juice of one ripe tomato
1/4 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce opal basil syrup*
pinch of kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with micro basil.

* To make the basil syrup, bring 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar just a boil in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool. Add 1-2 cups of opal basil leaves to the syrup and let soak for 24 hours. Strain out leaves.










Katie Bascuas has lived in D.C. for the past year and a half, and when she isn’t working or traveling, she loves exploring new restaurants, farmers markets and bars in the city. A graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Katie also enjoys writing about food and is excited to be contributing to Metrocurean.












Katie Bascuas has lived in D.C. for the past year and a half, and when she isn’t working or traveling, she loves exploring new restaurants, farmers markets and bars in the city. A graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Katie also enjoys writing about food and is excited to be contributing to Metrocurean.