Spicy Cocktails

Shake a cocktail & catch a buzz :) Here's whats you’ll learn to make:

A lime infused sea salt

Mango purée

Ginger Juice

Lime Juice

P.S. You can learn how to make cocktail’s like this one LIVE with me in my virtual Herbal Cocktail Classes. Sign up for the next class below.

Makes up to 4 drinks (buy organic/local where you can)

2 fresh ripe mangos (or frozen - about 1 1/2 oz of mango per drink)
1 bunch cilantro
3 limes
1 (3 to 4-inch) knob fresh ginger
honey (or sweetener of your choice)
Reposado tequila - my favorites: IXA by Green Bar, Don Abraham, or Grand Mayan if you're feeling fancy.
ice
Optional: Flaky sea salt and/or sugar for rimming the glass

*A note on ripe mangos - Ripe mangos feel soft when given a gentle squeeze and when a sweet, fragrant scent emanates from the stem-end of the fruit. If your mango is rock hard when you lightly squeeze it, it means it is not ripe yet. Let hard fruit ripen in a paper bag. Leave overnight and check for ripeness in the morning. Mangoes wrapped in a paper bag will release ethylene, which is an odorless gas that speeds up the ripening process.

Lime Infused Salt

Using a microplane, zest 2 tsp of lime into a bowl. Then add 1/4 cup sea salt. You can simply work the flavor into the salt with a wooden spoon (I find a Mortar and Pestle works the best).
Because of the time sensitivity of this class, we will use the infused salt immediately to rim our cocktail glass.
If you have the time, I recommend lining a baking sheet with parchment paper and pouring the lime salt onto the baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 220 F and cook for 80 minutes. The lime zest should crumble in your fingers when rubbed in between them. Allow to fully cool and store in a container in a cool dry place. Use with a years time.

Ginger Juice

Peel 1 (2 to 3-inch) knob fresh ginger with a vegetable peeler or the back of a spoon.
Slice ginger into chunks and place in a blender with 1-2 tbsp water. Blend on a high setting for 30 seconds.
Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. You can also use the blended ginger as a puree. Use it in a cocktail to give you a stronger ginger flavor and add a little texture (also great to use for cooking). Store in the refrigerator in a container for up to 3 days.

Mango Purée
1 mango makes purée for 2-3 drinks

Wash & cut your mango - use this 30 second video to learn how to properly cut a mango.
Place mango cubes into blender and purée. One large mango will make about 1/2 to 3/4 cup mango purée.
Lasts up to 2-3 days if kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or you can freeze it for 1-2 months.

Makes 1 drink

Directions

After you make the ginger juice & mango puree, you need to squeeze your limes. You can use a fancy citrus tool, or just do it by hand. 1 lime = roughly 1 oz juice.
Now add mango purée, cilantro, lime juice, ginger juice, honey or agave, and tequila to a blender. Pulse your blender a few times to chop up that cilantro and mix everything together. Then pour into your serving glass with ice & voilà - I think this is the easiest way. I also like the texture, but you can strain the drink before if you prefer.
Alternatively: If you want to do it the traditional method, you can add the cilantro and agave to your serving glass and muddle with a cocktail muddler or the back of a wooden spoon. Then add the rest of your ingredients, stir thoroughly, strain and finish with ice.
Drizzle honey or agave on one plate, and pour infused lime sea salt on a separate plate. Roll the rim of your serving glass in the sweetener, and then directly into the salt. Garnish with a lime wheel and a sprig of cilantro.

Herbal Extracts