El Cantinero spicy agave cocktail mezcal or tequila Little Rascal in Brooklyn

El Cantinero: A Spicy Agave Cocktail

Recipe: Keith Larry , Little Rascal , Brooklyn

Photo: Joanna Lin

April 13, 2023

A ghost pepper-tinged cocktail for the daring.

This agave cocktail from Brooklyn’s Little Rascal allows fans of spice to make the drink as fiery as they dare courtesy of a homemade ghost pepper tincture. Meanwhile, Aperol rounds out the bittersweet notes of a grapefruit cordial infused with star anise and white peppercorn.

Ingredients

2 oz. blanco tequila or mezcal
1 oz. grapefruit cordial
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
Dash of ghost pepper tincture
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Grapefruit Cordial
10 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
10 oz. sugar
3 oz. fresh lime juice
3 oz. Aperol
1 Tbsp. white peppercorn lightly ground
20-30 scrapes of star anise on a microplane
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Ghost Pepper Tincture
7 1/2g Thai chili
10g ghost pepper
375ml vodka

Tools:shaker, strainer
Glass:rocks
Garnish:Grated pink peppercorn, charred rosemary

Preparation

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice. Strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish. Note: If you’re spice-averse, you can leave out the ghost pepper tincture all together.

Grapefruit CordialAdd ingredients to a sealable container. Stir and infuse overnight. Strain. Will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Ghost Pepper TinctureChop peppers and combine with the vodka in a container such as a mason jar. Make sure to use gloves when handling the ghost peppers. Shake and let it sit overnight. Will keep indefinitely.