6 Jalapeno Cocktails To Spice Things Up At Your Next Gathering
We are all familiar with those tiny flavour bombs that turn up the heat in salads and sandwiches are absolute firecrackers. Jalapeño pepper pods are sliced up and used to pack a bit of spice in any savoury dish like a fresh mix of chopped veggies, cheese poppers and of course, party subs. But the fiery peppers are also an ideal addition to a cocktail because they take the drink up several notches by introducing a rather surprising twist into what is actually supposed to taste like a sweet and bitter concoction.
Jalapeños not only put into a drink their signature spiciness but also add a hint of flavour that complements the spirits and mixers used to make this drink. Fret not, it does not taste like a savoury dish mixed in a drink but rather like an interesting fusion of ingredients that make for a stunning dance of flavours. You can spice up your next party by adding some chopped peppers into cocktail favourites and making absolute showstopper drinks.
Here are some cocktail inspirations you can build on by introducing into them the spiciness of the jalapeño peppers:
Spicy Watermelon Margarita
Use a premium Don Julio Blanco to craft a delicious watermelon margarita. Build up the ingredients following the classic recipe with the only exception of adding a spicy twist using some zesty jalapeños. You can either chop them up and then blend the mix or simply add jalapeños as garnish. Use lots of watermelon juice in the recipe to balance the heat of the pepper pods.
Jalapeño Mojito
Mojito is a versatile cocktail and when it is made using quality rum and abundant mint, it carries a very refreshing quality. You can add to this refreshing cocktail just a bit of jalapeño spiciness that would blend very well with this classic drink from the Caribbean. The cocktail has a flavour profile which is well suited to balance a host of different flavours including spicy peppers that add some unexpected heat into an otherwise signature drink.
Cucumber Jalapeño Gin Fizz
Cucumber gin fizz is a brilliantly fresh drink in itself. The hydrating notes of the cucumber blend well with the botanicals that make up a quality Tanqueray’s No. Ten Gin. Add to this the spiciness of some jalapeños and what you have is a very inviting, hard-to-resist, rejuvenating cocktail. Blend several batches of this mix to take your next house party up a notch.
Celery Sour
Like a classic whisky sour, celery sour can be your go-to drink at the next intimate house party you host. Along with chopped celery, you can add to this cocktail recipe some chopped jalapeños to bring together the flavours of the green stalks and dark green peppers along with dry gin and pineapple juice. There are several varied ingredients present in the cocktail and a spicy element can work very well to tie them all together.
Mezcal Margarita
Follow the classic margarita recipe but instead of adding tequila, use mezcal to give your drink a smoky flavour. Pair this tasty profile up with jalapeños because the smokiness of the spirit will nicely complement the spiciness in the peppers to pack a little intensity into the drink. Use quality bitters and enough lime juice which will help to balance these varied flavours.
Jalapeño Paloma
A paloma is a classic summer cocktail infused with the inviting notes of tequila, the sweetness of grapefruit juice and the zesty tang of lime juice. The rejuvenating drink is perfect for an island-themed gathering or a barbecue-esque setting. You can infuse a hint of spiciness into the recipe by adding chopped peppers to elevate its overall taste and pack in a bit of a kick, not induced by the booze!
