You can’t catch lightning in a bottle. You can, however, gain the ability to shake uncontrollably as you lie on the ground after running around holding a metal rod and a pickle jar in a thunderstorm. But enough about my childhood. Let’s catch fire in a glass.
Nation’s Restaurant News ran this story about spicy cocktails last week. Apparently, spicy booze is making its presence felt in bars and restaurants around the nation, and not just as a niche curiosity. As nice as the article was to see, we thought we’d elaborate on the subject of liquid heat in greater detail with some recipes for hot summer sipping. If these aren’t enough for you, there are more to be found at the Fiery Foods & Barbecue Super Site.
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1/2 oz. Blue Curacao
- 1/4 oz. lemon juice
- 2 oz. pineapple juice
- 1/2 oz. chile syrup
- 1 oz. Cpt. Morgan’s Coconut Rum
- 1 candied habanero chile half
- crushed ice
- Blend liquors, juices, and syrup in a blender.
- Fill two 12-ounce glasses with crushed ice and pour blended liquid over ice. Garnish with candied habanero chile, serve with straws.
- Don’t worry.
- Be happy.
In the Nation’s Restaurant News piece, there’s mention of a serrano pepper simple syrup. Here’s a recipe for it you might want to play with. It’s the same version used by Red O’s chief mixologist Steven Calabro here in Los Angeles when he makes his margarita variant, The Sweaty Hipster.
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 serrano chile peppers, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, torn
- Bring the water to a boil, then add the sugar. Stir it until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Let the syrup cool.
- Blend everything until it’s well mixed.
- Strain the syrup through a sieve or fine mesh strainer. Repeat this step until the syrup is completely separated from the pepper and mint pieces.
- Bottle the syrup.
- Label and date the bottle.
- Store it in the refrigerator for use as desired.
Hot summer booze can be simple, too. The Flatliner is a straight-to-the-point shooter that avoids some of that multi-step mixology stuff and whatnot.
- 1 jigger sambuca
- 1 shot of tequila
- 3 dashes of your favorite hot sauce
- Use an upside down teaspoon to layer the hot sauce gently into the sambuca.
- Repeat that process with the tequila.
- Enjoy.
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