Cocktail: Light My Fire

After the August Sunset, I've still been in an Aperol mood. The bittersweet orange flavor is just a nice complement to many other tastes. A half a shot of it gives an interesting dimension to a gin & tonic. I also love the fiery color, which is partly why I wanted it for this drink, which evokes "fire" by its color, smoky flavor and spicy jalapeño syrup.

When making the syrup, whose recipe you can find with The John Ross cocktail, be sure to taste a little bit of the jalapeño first to see how potent it is, because the intensity of the peppers can really vary. The pithy part that encases the seeds in the spiciest, and for making this syrup, I discarded about half of it so it wouldn't be too hot. The resulting syrup was hot enough to give a little kick but was not overwhelming.

Light My Fire

1 oz. mezcal
1/2 oz. Aperol
1/2 oz. jalapeño syrup (see recipe)
1 oz. lime juice (juice from 1 lime)
Lime wheel garnish (optional)

Combine ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake until cold. Strain into rocks glass with ice. Garnish with lime wheel.