THE PORTLAND COOLER

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The Portland Cooler image

Portland, Oregon, is one of my favorite places to visit-mainly to visit our dearest friends, but also for the fantastic foods and possibly the best farmers' market in the country. This drink was inspired by a magical afternoon there, spent distillery hopping on a bicycle. The bell pepper is a surprising ingredient; it adds a slight sweetness to this unique, very quaffable beverage.

Yield serves 1

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 strip red bell pepper (about 1/2 inch wide by 3 to 4 inches long)
2 large mint leaves
2 ounces (1/4 cup) gin
2 ounces (1/4 cup) lime juice
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) strong simple syrup (see Tip)

Steps:

  • Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and add the pepper and mint. Use a muddler to crush and bruise the fresh ingredients thoroughly; the goal is to break some of the pepper into a coarse paste and release the aromatics from the mint. Add the gin, lime juice, and simple syrup, cover the shaker, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
  • Strain into a chilled martini glass and enjoy right away. I guarantee you won't stop at just one!
  • To make strong simple syrup, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and stir until dissolved. Let cool, then store in the refrigerator.

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