It’s the Chinese Year of the Snake, so I thought it would be fun to come up with a few snake-themed drinks throughout the seasons. This one is inspired by the green tree snake, which is a gorgeous emerald colour, and the chilli thread garnish imitates its tongue. I definitely knew what this drink would look like long before I developed it, because I found myself leaning towards green flavours that have a great affinity with a smoky, vegetal mezcal. Green pepper and shiso enhance those herbal, peppery notes, while the apple liqueur and manzanilla bring a crisp, sweet fruitiness that rounds things out. I had so much fun with this one that it’s one of my favourite recipes to date.
Tree snake
Serves 1
For the mezcal infusion (to serve about 12)
2 shiso leaves
350ml good mezcal – we use Mezcal Verde Amarás
1 green pepper, stalk, core and pith discarded, flesh finely sliced or chopped
For the drink
30ml green pepper- and shiso-infused mezcal (see above and method)
30ml manzanilla – we use Port of Leith
10ml apple liqueur – we use Lucky Liqueurs
10ml agave syrup – we use Bristol Syrup Co’s Nogave
1 dash green food colouring (optional)
1 pinch red angel hair chilli threads, or a little very finely shredded red chilli, to garnish (optional)
To infuse the mezcal, put the shiso and mezcal in a blender, blitz for 10-15 seconds, then pour into a mason jar or similar. Add the sliced pepper, seal and leave to infuse for 48 hours, then strain through coffee filter paper – so long as it’s strained properly, the infused mezcal will have an almost indefinite shelf life, so there’s no need to store it in the fridge.
To build the drink, measure the infused mezcal, sherry, apple liqueur and agave syrup into a shaker, add the food colouring, if using, then drop in a big handful of ice and shake hard. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice (we use one large cube), garnish with the chilli, if using, and serve.
-
Aidan Rivett, bar manager, Noto, Edinburgh