By Ethan Bondelid
Being my first post here, I’d thought I’d start with something very simple but still unique.
I’ve made a range of simple syrups but this one was a bit of an experiment. We had several Jalapenos left over from the end of the year’s garden harvest so this was a good utilization before the batch went bad.
This is a very interesting syrup that has a lot of potential for making great cocktails. It has a smooth jalapeno flavor with a hint of lime and then finishes with a nice bite of heat. Some people will not prefer the flavor it pacts so be sure to warn them before making them a cocktail.
Before we get started, I have to drop a bit of a disclaimer. If you have ever worked with
jalapeños before than you already know this.
Wear gloves and be careful. The oils on these little diablos are potent. For several days after making this,
putting my contacts in was an exercise in self macing.
Prep
This recipe will yield about a liter of syrup.
2 cups of fresh Jalapeños
2 limes
4 cups of white sugar
4 cups of water
Start out by cutting your jalapeño’s ends and tips and then slice them in half vertically. You’ll want to leave the seeds in as they pack the most punch for heat. Once you have 2 cups cut, set these aside and wipe everything
down thoroughly with hot water.
Next, we want to incorporate a slight hint of lime. Using paring knife, cutoff the peels of two large limes.
The oil from these peels will cook into the batch and smooth the jalapeño flavor. In my second batch I used the whole limes and the heat was much more subtle. I corrected this by adding a chopped jalapeño to the syrup bottle.
Next, get your simple syrup going. Generally simple syrups are always equal parts sugar and water. When making a syrup, you need to determine what sugar to use for flavor and color. For this batch, I didn’t want the brown hue of raw sugar so I went with four cups of granulated white sugar. Combine this with four cups of filtered water and add your lime peels and jalapeños. Cook this on high until you get a slight boil then reduce your heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Once you’re finished, you’ll need to strain out the liquid. Obviously, be very careful in doing this.
Depending on your strainer, you may need to do this a few times to get all solids and seeds separated.
Once your liquid has cooled down, transfer it to a pitcher and bottle it. I like to add an once of vodka to a syrup to help preserve it.
I’m still playing around with this concoction but I did come up with one cocktail that has been very popular. Instructions are posted below.
Write me back and let me know what you come up with!
Chino Libré
2 oz Hendrick’s Gin
1oz – Jalapeño Lime Simple Syrup
1oz – Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
1/2oz – Fresh squeezed Lime Juice
1/4oz – Egg White
Fresh Mint Leaves
In Your mixing glass, muddle the Jalapeño Lime Syrup and mint leaves. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour into a mixing tin full of ice.
Large ice is preferred to further break down the mint. Shake vigorously to crush the mint and froth the egg white. Strain this into a chilled cocktail glass.
Do not double strain and hold the strainer higher in the tin to let more mint flakes through.
This drink is spicy enough and doesn’t need a jalapeño for a garnish. I prefer a citrus to balance the cocktail and have been using star fruit.
Serve with a smile 
