One of my favorite things about writing a food blog is spending time in the kitchen to create new recipes. Give me the ingredients, tell me what you feel like eating and I will make it happen. It gets even more fun when it is a new ingredient that I have never used before. Therefore, when Mezcal Creyente asked me to create a cocktail based on the “ruling element” of my zodiac sign, I knew this was going to be fun. I had never tasted mezcal before but heard a lot about it from a friend, who visited Oaxaca, Mexico last summer. Coincidently, that weekend I was planning to meet a friend in New York City. Luckily, she was up for the challenge and agreed to try it with me. So we found a mezcal bar in lower Manhattan and enjoyed our first mezcal cocktails together. As I was browsing down the cocktail menu (aka doing research for work), I was looking for a drink with a little bit of a spicy tone. Since I am an Aries and my ruling element is fire, I wanted to have something spicy and fire-y at the same time. I ordered a cocktail made with grapefruit and chile de arbol. It was love at first sip. The sweet, spicy and smokey flavors, all at the same time, were just so captivating. When I came back home the next day, I knew I wanted a similar sweet-spicy-smokey flavor combination in my signature cocktail. I already loved the combination of pineapple, jalapeño, and cilantro and wanted to try it with Mezcal Creyente. And it didn’t disappoint. With every sip, it made me want to drink more. I can almost hear you say, “But, what is mezcal?”
What is Mezcal?
Allow me to explain: Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage that is made from the heart of the agave plant called the piña. To make it, they roast the piña using an artisanal method with mesquite wood in a stone oven for 3 days. This is how it gets its characteristic smoky aroma and taste. Mezcal Creyente Joven is a blend of two extraordinary mezcals from Oaxaca’s Tlacolula and Yautepec regions. With sweet hints of fruit and light herbal notes, it has a smokey flavor that offers a unique set of complexity to any cocktail it is added.
About this Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Mezcalita Recipe:
The fire-y part of this mezcal pineapple cocktail comes from jalapeño. Letting a small chopped and seeded jalapeño sit in Mezcal Creyente Joven for a few minutes infuses its spicy flavors into the liquor and complements its smokey notes in a beautiful way. Since I am a fan of jalapeño and cilantro flavors together, I muddled a handful of fresh leaves of cilantro just enough to extract its aroma. Then I mixed it with some orange liquor, lime juice and pineapple juice. After I strained the spicy Mezcal Creyente into the pitcher my drink was ready. I poured it over crushed ice and garnished it with wedges of pineapple and a few leaves of fresh cilantro. In the end, we all agreed that the sweet and spicy flavors coming from all the ingredients in this cocktail complimented Mezcal Creyente very well and left us with a new cocktail recipe that we will be used often throughout the summer.
Other Pineapple Based Drinks You Might Also Like:
Pineapple Margaritas – Whether you like it on the rocks or frozen, this pineapple margarita recipe is guaranteed to impress.Virgin Gorda Style Pina Colada – This was my absolute favorite drink to order back when we were living on Virgin Gorda.Kale Pineapple Smoothie – An ultra healthy smoothie recipe made with kale and pineapple. Whips up in less than 5 minutes. Pina Colada Smoothie – Like pina coladas, but don’t want the extra calories? Well, this is the healthified version. You are welcome.
Other Creative Cocktail Recipes You Might Like:
Black Cherry Cocktail – The most gorgeous Calvados cocktail in the world.Mango Vodka Cooler – A 10-minute fresh mango and vodka cooler guaranteed to impress.Raspberry Cocktail – Flavored with pomegranate arilsBlueberry Hot Toddy – Honey sweetened hot toddy recipe for cool winter evenings. Raspberry Martini – The classic lemon drop martini flavored with fresh raspberries.Martini with Lime – For those who prefer limes over lemons.Kentucky Mules – If you are a lover of whiskey-based drinks, this classic recipe is guaranteed to be a favorite.Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe – 2 ingredients and 2 minutes are all you need to make this delicious mimosa.Cilantro Jalapeno Margarita – Spicy margarita as its best.
