#HappyHourClub 04 / Hot Off The Press!

04_HappyHourClub_HotOffThePressSM.jpg

Did you know today is Newspaper Carrier Day? Well, in honor of this obscure holiday I created the cocktail: Hot Off The Press! This vodka drink features KC Cooper Sears' habanero infused vodka cut with my Meyer lemon infused vodka. By putting both of these together, I was able to bring down the intensity of the habanero so it was nice and smooth. This easy to make drink calls for either club soda or tonic—classics like the periodicals. Don't forget to seal the deal with black salt for the rim to help invoke newspaper ink.

#HappyHourClub 04 / Hot Off The Press!

Paperboy will always be one of my favorite pastimes, as well as reading the comic section with my dad during a pancake breakfast. Since September 4th is Newspaper Carrier Day I decided I needed to create a drink for this random and obscure holiday, Hot Off The Press. When you’re doing 30 days of cocktails you tend to find inspiration comes in a variety of forms. So get paper ready, it’s time to dive in to infusions:

Infusions:

KC Cooper Sears’ Habanero Vodka

Warning: this infusion is only for those that can handle a crazy insane amount of spice. It is not for the weak and should not be taken lightly. The commitment to to this infusion is 6 months. Yes, you read that correctly. KC doesn’t mess around. Take a sterilized large Mason jar and add 10-12 habanero chiles (don’t forget to wear gloves when handling these peppers) to the jar. Next add your preferred choice of vodka. Pour it in and seal it up. Let this infusion sit for about 6 months. If patience isn’t your thing, I’m sure a few days will work. Plus it will reduce the amount of heat. If you want to start with baby steps, use 1 habanero chile pepper to help build up your tolerance.

Meyer Lemon Vodka

First, make sure to use organic Meyer Lemons to help reduce any pesticides in your infusion since we’ll be steeping the peels. Take about 4 Meyer Lemons (use more if you want a stronger flavor) and peel the Meyer lemons using your vegetable peeler. Take a sterilized large Mason jar and add your peels. Once that’s complete, pour in your preferred choice of vodka. For this one I used Tito’s. You can let it steep for about 1 week or longer if you like a more intense flavor. I tend to do larger batches of this infusion so I can store some for impromptu events. It tends to always impress.

For the drink:

  • 1 shot of habanero vodka
  • 1 shot of Meyer lemon vodka
  • Club Soda (of if you want some sweet to tone down the heat, use tonic)
  • Black Salt to coat the rim (you can purchase this at any food specialty store)

In your drink tumbler add both shots of vodka and ice. Shake it up and add it to an old fashion glass. Add more ice if you like. Then top off with club soda or tonic. Coat the rim with black salt. Please note the black salt will bleed into your drink adding some cloudiness to the mixture. Also, the black salt will transfer to your teeth so be careful when you’re chatting up that hottie or future boss.

 

#happyhourclub, food + drink, ramblingsMarissaComment