Alisha Makes: The Spicy Actress AKA Spicy Watermelon Cocktail

This week Jess and I were strapped for cash (it’s a long story that involves Las Vegas and financial decisions). So I decided to pay homage to the City of Sin with a spicy cocktail because we had all the ingredients in our fridges/ no need to hit the super market! Win win! If we were going to be eating oatmeal and ramen this week, we were going to have tastey beverages to compliment ;D

If you ask most of my friends, when I order a beverage at a bar I most likely order two things: the spicy drink or the sparkling wine. I’m not big on sweet and I’m not a huge fan of bitter, but when I see something with jalepenos or (even better) habanero peppers on a cocktail list, I have to order it. And I usually have them make it extra spicy.

I totally understand that it’s not for everyone! I’m Jamaican and have culturally developed the taste for all things spiced, so if you share my taste you MUST give this drink a try. If you don’t, make it without the jalepeno seeds for a mild/ not as fantastically spiced version ;D

I always have gin and bourbon on hand in my house for guests. Not all my friends are winos like me, so I have a couple of alternatives to offer up when I have company. My gin of choice is Hendricks, which will run you about $25 for a 750mL at Trader Joe’s. It is on the higher end of what you might pay for gin, but once you taste awesomeness it’s hard to go back to the basics.

THE SPICY ACTRESS COCKTAIL

Prep Time: 2 hours or day in advance Assembly Time:  5 minutes

Serves: 1

Thyme/Jalepeno Simple Syrup:

• bunch of thyme
• 1 jalepeno sliced to expose seeds
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Cocktail:

• 1 ounce thyme/jalepeno simple syrup
• 2 ounces gin (I recommend Hendricks)
• 2 ounces watermelon juice
• quarter lime juice
• 2 dashes bitters

To Make Syrup:

1. Combine ingredients in sauce pan and stir
2. Over medium heat, bring to a boil
3. Once boiling, remove from heat and let come to room temperature (I did this before bed the day before and let it sit over night)
4. Strain out the jalepeno and thyme and store in an airtight container, will keep for about a week

To Make Cocktail:

1. Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until chilled and incorporated
2. Pour over ice and garnish with a jalepeno slice and an orange

PINKIES UP