South of Cancun and Cozumel lies the beachside city of Playa del Carmen, known to the locals simply as Playa.  With gorgeous white sandy beaches and azure colored water, paradise really is only a short flight away.

While traveling there, one evening I had the opportunity to participate in a martini crawl.  Unlike the all-you-can-drink Spring Break type of parties, this was a planned tour guided by Yucatan Holidays and Loco Gringo.

It was a fun way to get a taste of Playa’s variety of restaurants and vibrant nightlife.  Our first stop was at a very modern and chic locale called Delirium.  We began our dining and drinking exploration with some delicious appetizers before walking to Ula Gula, a lively spot on a second floor balcony just down the street.

There, we sipped on watermelon martinis before meandering over to Wicky’s on the beach.  I noted this was the idyllic kind of place you typically see in calendars and beer commercials with gourmet menus and tasty drinks delivered beachside while sitting under an umbrella with sand between your toes and a perfect view of the ocean.

We eventually ended our tour at the Dirty Martini, a local hangout where we finished the evening with refreshing cucumber infused martinis.

If you’re feeling thirsty this weekend while you’re sitting by the pool and working on your summer tan, here’s a recipe for a Wicked Martini from Wicky’s on the beach.  Just like the country of Mexico, it’s zesty, sweet and spicy all at once.  Enjoy!

Wicky’s Wicked Martini

Ingredients

Absolut Mandarin – 1.5 oz
Orange Juice – 1 oz
Grapefruit Juice – .5 oz
Chile Serrano Slice
Sugar Rimmed Martini Glass

Method

• Mix Absolut Mandarin, orange juice, grapefruit juice in a martini shaker packed full of ice.

• Shake until the shaker “ices” over.  Take your favorite chilled martini glass, rim the glass with sugar and add a Chile Serrano slice for garnish.

• Sip slowly and enjoy!

Image: Inn the Kitchen