Before central heating, wassail and other warm, spice-laden drinks warded off winter’s chill. But this winter, bartenders are blazing the way for the hottest cocktail trend since 19th-century bartender Jerry Thomas set a match to his classic brandy blazer.
The latest quenchers are pepper-infused cocktails. On the Scoville heat scale, they can be as mellow as an ancho chile or as fiery as a habanero.
Madras mojito
To make sweet-and-sour, combine equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar dissolves to make simple syrup. Add equal parts of the same measure of lime juice and lemon juice; mix. It will keep well, covered, in the refrigerator. Guava puree is available at most Indian grocers and Fiesta Marts. You also can purchase canned guava and puree it in a blender or food processor.
* Cayenne pepper
* 4 to 6 fresh mint leaves
* Sugar
* 1 1/2 ounces Old Monk dark rum
* 2 ounces sweet-and-sour
* 1 ounce guava puree
Rim a martini glass with the cayenne; set aside.
In a martini shaker, muddle the mint leaves with a dash of sugar. Fill two-thirds of the shaker with ice and add the rum and sweet-and-sour. Shake vigorously for 5 seconds and strain into a martini glass.
Float guava puree on top and serve immediately.
Makes 1 serving.
Ginger margarita
To make simple syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar dissolves.
* 1 quarter-size slice ginger
* 1 (1/4-inch-wide) red Thai chile
* 1 1/2 ounces Tezon tequila reposado
* 1/2 ounce Cointreau
* 1/2 ounce lime juice
* 1/2 ounce simple syrup
In a martini shaker, muddle the ginger and chile. Fill two-thirds of the shaker with ice.
Add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and simple syrup. Shake vigorously for 5 seconds. Pour ice and margarita into a large glass.
Makes 1.
