Stolen Veggies
We were making dinner one evening when I saw Chris suspiciously eyeing my carrots. (This never ends well.) Within minutes he’d stolen a handful of carrots, processed them in the food processor and made a spicy black pepper shrub. A few more minutes and this beautiful cocktail appeared.
Not a bad trade – dinner vegetables for a cocktail!
A BIT LIKE A CARROT BLOODY MARY
I’ll admit, I’m pretty wimpy when it comes to spicy stuff, which means bloody mary’s aren’t usually my thing. And this one was a bit hotter than my taste (but perfect for Chris… Hmm… I think he just didn’t want to share…)
I can still appreciate the drink, however, and loved how Chris decided to use black pepper to make the sweet carrot flavor more interesting.
He chose tequila as the spirit – because I know he likes tequila when he’s looking to reinforce herbal, peppery qualities in cocktails. And to round out the heat, he added Barrows’ Intense – a spicy ginger liqueur that gave the drink one more layer of flavor and heat.
SPICING UP SPRINGTIME
So if you’re looking for another option for your spicy morning cocktails, give this one a try. I think you’ll definitely like it! (And if you’re a wimp like me, you can simply reduce the black pepper to reduce the heat a notch. 
)
Equipment
Ingredients
Cocktail Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio Reposado
- 3 oz Carrot and Black Pepper Shrub Homemade
- .5 oz Ginger Liqueur Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur
- 3 dashes Celery Bitters Bitter truth
Carrot and Black pepper Shrub Ingredients
- 3 oz Fresh Carrot Juice
- .75 oz Agave Nectar
- 1.0 oz Vinegar Datu Puti Cane Vinegar
- 1 pinch Fresh Cracked Pepper
Instructions
Cocktail Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and ice to a shaker.
- Shake to chill and dilute.
- Fine strain into a bucket glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a celery leaf.
Carrot and Black Pepper Shrub Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Store in a glass container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks to allow the vinegar to mellow.
- Fine strain before using.
