This cocktail featured as part of my 2012 ‘All Americana’ post. The cocktail was inspired by a drink I had at The Bowery Hotel in NYC. The bar manager there; Mario is a wonderful fella, really warm and inviting and super fun. We shared many a cocktail and a laugh with him in the residents bar at The Bowery in May 2012. This was similar to one i really enjoyed but I;ve added my own twist to it and used my own homemade jalapeno tequila.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2oz/15ml white tequila
1/2oz/15ml jalapeno tequila – see below
7 – 8 large mint leaves, roughly torn
4 – 5 large basil leaves, roughly torn
1/2oz/15ml sugar syrup – see below
1 lime
Ice
Extra 2 – 3 large basil leaves to garnish
To make the Jalapeno tequila:
- Add 2 cups/500ml white tequila into a glass jar into which add 2-3 jalapeno peppers, cut them in half length-ways end remove seeds. close jar tighly and allow to infuse for a few days.
To make the sugar syrup:
- Add 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stir often then reduce heat and simmer until all the sugar has dissolved into the water ~ approx. 10 – 12 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly. Note this quantity will make enough for a few cocktails.
METHOD
- Cut lime into quarters and add along with all its juice into a chilled cocktail shaker along with the mint and basil leaves and muddle together using a cocktail muddler – or like I do, the end of a rolling pin (!). Try to really extract all the juice from the limes and it’s skin, then add the sugar syrup, white and jalapeno tequila along with a good handful crushed ice. Close shaker and give it a really good mix up.
- To serve pour strained cocktail into a tumbler half-filled with ice cubes, garnish with 2 – 3 large basil leaves.
