How To Adjust The Heat In Your Spicy Cocktails
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When pollen season hits full swing, our sinuses can suffer from it. It's too unfair to have lovely weather for friends to gather around for food and fun while the trees dust everything up. If you're looking for a way to open up the senses, adding a little spice to your routine can help you feel the warmth of the season without the wrath of its flora. The ingredient that creates the burning sensation in spicy food is capsaicin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and stimulates the nasal pathways.
Get ahead of the game by adding spicy elements to your cocktails with infusions. Adjust the heat level to your liking by filling a glass jar with a liquor of choice and chopped peppers. Removing the seeds first will tone down the spice while keeping the flavor. Let the infusion sit for a minute or so at a time and taste with a spoon to check — the flavor from the peppers seeps out quicker than one might think. Filter the liquid into a cocktail glass, and you'll be ready to start mixing some perfect hot cocktails.
You don't have to break a sweat to mix some cócteles picantes
The infusion method will result in an overt pepperiness. Infusing a bit of lime or adding a splash of fruit juice can bring more balance. The alcohol to pair with peppers is going to be blanco tequila for its tasting notes of herbs and citrus. It's a Mexican drink that's been paired with the heat and sourness of Mexican cuisine from the beginning. Vodka is another solid choice for its neutrality, and white rum is good for balancing out spicier ingredients with its sweetness. Any of these are good for infusions or mixing with hot ingredients on their own.
Hot honey can upgrade a cocktail with its syrupy consistency and unique taste. You can find a quality hot honey online or make it at home by simmering honey, peppers, and distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar together. Just be prepared to scrub the pot afterward.
Syrups are another way to bring the heat to a cocktail. Simple syrup is just equal parts water and sugar, so you can simmer it with any spicy ingredients you love. Aside from the obvious peppers, cinnamon and ginger root powder are full of warmth and freshness that can play well with spicy, bitter, and sweet elements in a drink. Tajín is a seasoning blend that's become popular for food and drinks alike, especially for decorating the cocktail glass rim. You don't have to break a sweat while mixing spicy margaritas and customizing cantaritos.