I am working on creating a new cocktail menu for a local Chinese restaurant and would like to include an original riff on a margarita. Maybe some “facing heaven” chili in it.
Any ideas?
spicy rim?
infused simple syrup?
lots of ways to go with it
My favorite cocktail newsletter “Cocktails with Suderman” went through a number of options. You might consider subscribing as he is also an editor at Reason.
He decided using Jalapeño rounds was the easiest unless you buy the Ancho Reyes liquor.
Spicy Margarita (Pepper Coins Edition)
- 5 drops saline solution*
- 2 jalapeno pepper coins
- ¼ ounce agave syrup
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ¾ ounce Cointreau
- 2 ounces tequila (Espolon or Altos
He also had recipes for making a pepper tincture which maybe would work better. If you like cocktails it’s well worth the subscription.
Chinese restaurant? Five spice Marg.
You were reading my mind.
I made some chili infused simple syrups this afternoon and am trying them out now.
Good idea on the chili pepper tincture.
That makes it really easy for the bartender. Just add a few drops.
I will make a five spice simple syrup tomorrow and test it. Thank you!
Keep it coming!
I infuse Paton Silver with habenero. Cut up four peppers, let it steep for only two hours. Use Real brand mango puree. Salt the rim with Tajin.
2 oz. Tequila
.75 oz Cointreau
1 oz. lime juice
1 to 2 oz mango puree to taste - oh dang you have to experiment with multiple attempts, depending how sweet you like your margarita
This is as good as I can make a margarita. And I make good margaritas.
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That sounds delicious
as an aside (and I think yours still handily qualifies), at what point is it no longer a margarita?
one of my pet peeves is martini bars that are like “we have 134 martinis.”
no, motherfucker, you have 6 martinis and 128 cocktails that you serve in martini glasses.
I think spirits have to be agave based and orange liqueur. And lime juice seems like a requirement.
So you can use mezcals of any sort, which includes tequila. I don’t know if you have to use an orange liqueur. But probably. I think subbing lemon for lime has crossed the line. And no lime definitely has.
I suppose you can put stupid things in and call it a margarita, but that doesn’t make it good.
that’s a reasonable delineation. and your last point is salient.
I have been trying to use John D. Taylor’s velvet falernum instead of an orange liqueur in margaritas and it is good with a tiny bit of fresh grapefruit and pineapple juice.
I have been meaning to make some Tropical Standard falernum too, but that will take me a couple days.
have you tried Ancho Reyes Chili Liquor? Widely available…simple.
ETA: there is a bitters company out of ATL that has a Japanese Chili and Lime bitters. It’s good stuff. Company is called 18.21 Bitters company.
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Just a standard marg, sub teq with mez add twice slices of jal when shaking.
I have been experimenting with 5-spice infused simple syrups and 13 different tequilas.
I started out by simply infusing star anise, fennel, sezchuan peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon sticks in a simple syrup. It was very subtle.
Then I tried toasting all of the spices and then infusing into the simple syrup. I also added a little extra powdered cinnamon.
Lastly, I just put a 5-spice powder in the simple syrup and filtered it out after a few days.
The toasted version was by far the best.
The tequilas we tested:
G4 blanco
G4 reposado
Siete Leguas blanco
Siete Leguas reposado
Fortaleza blanco
Fortaleza reposado
El Tosoro blanco
El Tosoro reposado
Tequila Ocho reposado
Lalo
Codigo 1530 blanco
Cimarron blanco
Cimarron reposado
We had to give weight to the cost of the tequila in order to make a drink that had the correct cost.
The winning recipe:
2 oz Cimarron reposado
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz orange juice
1 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz 5-spice simple syrup
and a tiny pinch of salt
We did play around with and without the orange juice.
My wife preferred the blanco, but everyone else preferred the reposado.
If cost hadn’t been a factor, the Fortaleza reposado would have won.
Just the other day I was thinking, I want a good margarita… where’s the nearest Chinese food place?
The cocktail menu will focus on tiki cocktails, but since margaritas are the most popular cocktail in the US, there has to be one on the menu.
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3 points US