Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Dragonfire!

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Dragonfire Cocktail

2 oz. Jalapeno-infused tequila or vodka
1 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. orange juice
1 oz. lime juice
1 lime wedge, for garnish


In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, triple sec, orange juice, and lime juice, plus ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass with fresh ice. Garnish with lime wedge (or jalapeno round).

(To make jalapeno-infused tequila: add 1 jalapeno to 2 cups tequila. Allow to infuse for at least 2 hours. Remove jalapeno.)


The above recipe comes from Kara Newman's book Spice & Ice. Kara invited several food and drink enthusiasts (including me) to participate in a "virtual cocktail party" wherein we select a recipe from S&I, make it, and then do a post on it. Being that she has a keen understanding of the cocktail geek mindset, Kara encouraged the participants to tweak, alter and otherwise fiddle with the recipes if we were inclined to do so.

Since I am often inclined to do so (I'm a born tinkerer it seems), the first change I made was to swap in some Sriracha for the jalapeno. Documenting my love for Sriracha would require an entire post of its own, but for now I'll just say that this delicious, versatile chili-garlic sauce is one of my favorite condiments and I always have a bottle handy. It has legions of fans and its status as a cult item is coming to an end with many chefs and cocktail crafters discovering it (which can only be a good thing, in my opinion).

The other changes I made were to substitute Cointreau for the triple sec and add a half-ounce of Aperol to bring a little bright & bitter to the proceedings. Aperol is an ingredient I love to find uses for, since it's flavor isn't as overbearing as Campari, a similar product that I also like, but find more challenging to mix with.

What I ended up with is shown below. You can drink it anytime, but given the provenance of its ingredients, it's probably best enjoyed while watching a Fellini movie. In a Asian restaurant. With Salma Hayek*


Drago Amaro

2 oz. silver Tequila (I used Tequila Ocho plata)
1 oz. Cointreau
.5 oz. Aperol
1 oz. orange juice
1 oz. lime juice
8 drops Sriracha chili sauce

Combine everything with ice in a shaker. Shake well and strain into a highball glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish with a lime slice skewered to a small chili pepper.


To check out the other drinks as they roll in and get more info on Spice & Ice, go here.

And if you wanna check out a couple of other drinks that use Sriracha, take a peek at these tasty beverages over at Rumdood and Cocktailbuzz




* I realize that since she shills for Campari, she'd probably complain about using Aperol, but this is my fantasy, so cut me a little slack, wouldja?

8 comments:

nerdling said...

Heh. Fitting that you and I both re-worked the drinks with Aperol.

Also, I feel like that dragon's name is Sal. 45, recently unemployed and divorced father of two, one of whom is dating some guy named "Snake". Poor Sal.

imbibenc said...

What, no recipes with Green Dragon?

Lori said...

Love this character. My kids were cracking up.

Carly said...

This seems like a great drink for when it gets sweaty hot here in Texas. I'm totally making jalapeno infused tequila. I wonder if serrano would be as good -- I love serranos.

Alex said...

if a dragon uses dragonfire atk does the dfire shield block more damage than the anti-d shield?

Unknown said...

Always love your posts brother!

Next time you stop into Embury try the Faust's Pact, or just have Nathan mix you up one.

Dr. Bamboo said...

Marleigh- Aperol is magical. And that's EXACTLY who that dragon is ;-)

imbibe- Maybe next time!

Lori- Thanks...glad you liked it!

Carly- I'm not much of a pepper expert, but I can't see why serranos wouldn't work.

Alex- Consult the Dungeon Master's Guide :-)

Fred- Thanks! I really need to get down there again soon. I'm slacking.

wedding planner said...

just stumbled upon this one. I will recommend this one to my future clients.