Summer is here, whether we like it or not. Â And just to be clear, we don’t.
Fuck. This. Shit.
Really, the only sane thing to do is drink a lot of extremely tasty, refreshing cocktails. Â This one certainly fits the bill… in fact it was hard not to drink myself into a coma with these while tweaking the recipe.
Escarlata Maya
- 2 oz. Reposado Tequila (Siembra Azul)
- 1 oz. Fresh Red Bell Pepper Juice
- 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- 1/2 oz. Agave Nectar
- Habenero Tincture
- Club Soda
- 1/4 oz. Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal
Combine tequila, red pepper juice, lime, and agave in a shaker with ice and shake until very cold. Â Strain into a highball glass over ice. Â Add habenero tincture to taste (2-8 drops was our range) and stir just a bit. Top with a splash of club soda and float Crema de Mezcal on top. Â Garnish with a spear of red pepper and a wheel of lime.
Habenero tincture is easy to make… cover dried habeneros (cut up to prevent floaters) with pure grain alcohol for a week or two and strain. Â Be very, VERY careful with this stuff… treat it like a chemical weapon. Â It will have a lot of heat but also the wonderful citrus flavor for which habeneros are known.
Oh my god, between this and the Swamp Cooler (and the Badminton Cup) I may be able to survive another fucking summer in Texas. Â Give it a try, tweak it if you must, and let us know what you think.