Beverage Trends: Spicy Cocktails Heat Up Bar Menus

Chiles, ginger and other piquant ingredients heat up cocktail programs.

Kate Leahy -- Restaurants & Institutions, November 1, 2009

The Scotch Bonnet pairs peppers and pineapple juice. Photo credit: "Spice & Ice,"  by Kara Newman (Chronicle, 2009) GET THE RECIPE

A Bloody Mary is distinctive for its peppery zing, but it’s not the only beverage capable of doling out heat. A new round of spicy cocktails—margaritas muddled with fresh ginger, aperitifs warmed with jalapeños and spirits spiked with spicy bitters—is stoking beverage sales.

The drinks are part of a broader movement in which beverage managers look beyond the back of the bar to the back of the house for inspiration. Sourcing ingredients—in this case, chiles, dried spices and more—from the kitchen creates harmony between beverage and food menus, says Jacques Bezuidenhout, master mixologist at Square 1682 in Philadelphia’s Hotel Palomar. And it demonstrates to guests that the bar pays as much attention to ingredients and seasonality as the rest of the operation does.

By showing off their craft with house-made spice-infused liqueurs, simple syrups and bitters, bartenders also are creating distinctive drinks capable of attracting more business.

“You need something to bring customers back again,” says Kara Newman, author of “Spice & Ice”(Chronicle,

The Grove’s Clear Bloody Mary GET THE RECIPE

2009), a book of seasonal spicy cocktails. A unique cocktail tinged with heat, Newman says, can be “a competitive differentiator.”

So what’s hot? At The Grove in Houston, Beverage Director Rawad Semaan serves up a Clear Bloody Mary made with chipotle vodka and tomato water. In Frederick, Md., Neil Dundee, beverage director at Volt, uses jalapeño simple syrup to sweeten an apertif made with Cava and tequila. At San Francisco’s Nopa, bartender Neyah White adds a few drops of Hellfire Bitters—a concoction of white rum, coffee grounds and jalapeños—to strong spirits such as bourbon.

Here, recipes for spiced-up cocktails.But before you start, read these tips for managing heat.

Contact writer at kate.leahy@reedbusiness.com

In an old-fashioned glass, stir together Scotch and pineapple juice.                                            
Add ice.Garnish with a pineapple spear and habañero pepper.

Steep habañero in Scotch for at least 1 hour, then test for strength. When Scotch reaches desired heat, remove the habañero.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, ponzu, simple syrup, orange, mint and shichimi togarashi. Shake with ice; serve in a double old-fashioned glass.

*NOTE: Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese spice blend made of orange zest, seaweed, chile flakes, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, peppercorns and sesame seeds.

1. Skewer tomatoes and jalapeño slices on a toothpick. Set aside.

2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the tomato water, vodka, hot sauce and black pepper. Shake together with ice; strain into a salt-rimmed cocktail glass. Finish with drops of basil oil and garnish with the skewered tomatoes and jalapeños.
   *NOTE: To make the tomato water, blend the pulp and seeds remaining from tomato concassé into a mixture resembling a chunky salsa. Season the mixture with salt; placed it in a china cap lined with cheesecloth and allow it to drain overnight. The liquid that drains off the tomato pulp is the tomato water.

In a mixing glass, muddle the raspberries and bell pepper with lime juice. Add vodka and ginger liqueur; shake with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass; garnish with a lemon twist.

*NOTE: For more heat, Bezuidenhout suggests muddling a slice of jalapeño with the bell pepper and raspberries.

In a cocktail shaker, mix the tequila, triple sec and fruit purée. Shake with ice; pour into a double rocks glass. Using a spoon, float the hibiscus tea on top. Garnish with a strawberry.

*NOTE: To make chipotle-infused triple sec, infuse one bottle of triple sec with 7 oz. of chipotle peppers in adobo for 24 hours. Strain thoroughly.

**NOTE: For the purée, Thompson combines equal parts passion fruit and mango purées with pineapple, orange and kalamansi juices.

1. Pour a small amount of the simple syrup onto a small plate. Pour a small amount of the spice mixture onto another small plate. Dip the rim of a champagne flute into the simple syrup and then into the spice mixture.

2. Mix tequila and ½ oz. simple syrup. Pour into the flute. Top with Cava. Garnish with habañero.

In a small pot over high heat, combine the sugar and water. When the water starts to boil, add the jalapeños. Bring the mixture back to a boil; lower to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat; strain well; cool.

Mix flour, sugar and cinnamon together thoroughly.

Talkback

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• 
  

  Some of these concoctions are interesting...some rediculous. I was making a clear (I called it a "white") Bloody Mary three years ago...

  
  

  
  C. Bryan - 11/5/2009 12:00:00 AM PST

• 
  

  art of cocktails is large science the same level of art of culinary,(bloodymary,virgin Mary,ropbroy,sweet Manhattan,sunshine )was the ancient cocktails ,modern cocktails within 2 categories (moktails and cocktails)are too much kinds within many classifications(spicy/creamy/sweet/hot/cold)modern cocktails(yellow submarine/elegant lady/gentleman/green mountain/blue ocean/blue sky/blue sea/twice and nice/sex on the garden/san Francesco cocktail/first aid/vinna cafe/nice dream)are modern types of mocktails available on (lobby bar/cocktail boutique/lounge bar/milk bar/mocktails festival-lobby lounge/mocktails festival-disco matinee/mocktails festival -fruit boutique/moctials of the day-library salon)

  
  

  
  Hossam salah aboueissa - 11/2/2009 3:14:00 PM PST
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