Sometimes those fancy drinks at certain cocktail bars can seem intimidating. And maybe that’s why we shell out almost $15 for them. But some are easy enough to make at home. And doesn’t it make much more sense to spend your money on a nice bottle of liquor for your own bar shelf?
We visited Oficina Latina (24 Prince St.) and asked bartender Esteban Ordonez to show us how to make the Blood and Fire, one of his signature summer drinks. With a smooth, mildly dry constitution and hibiscus-tinted flavor, it seemed almost dangerously drinkable.
The Blood and Fire highlights the newest top-shelf tequila on the market: Patron Roca Silver. The spirit just joined the Patron family to sit alongside the Resposado and Anejo, all retailing for about $69-$89.
Check out the video above, in which Ordonez teaches us how to make this cocktail in two minutes flat. (It’s literally three ingredients and a garnish; you have no excuses!) Find the recipe below to follow along with his demo.
And below that, if you’re feeling ambitious, try out the recipe for a surprisingly easy-to-make hibiscus simple syrup.
This is a cocktail that’s tougher than it looks.
Credit: T. Michelle Murphy, Metro
Blood and Fire
Ingredients
2 oz. Patron Roca Silver
1 oz. Spiced hibiscus syrup (see below)
1 oz. Fresh squeezed and strained lime juice
1 large seedless cucumber slice for garnish
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Serve over a large ice cube in a double rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of cucumber for color, texture and taste.
Spiced Hibiscus Syrup
Ingredients
1 oz. dried hibiscus flowers
4.5 cups granulated white sugar
2.5 dry ancho chillies
1 liter of water
Instructions
In a small sauce pan boil water over medium heat, add hibiscus, chillies and let simmer over low flame for 5 minutes. Turn fire off add the sugar stirring until completely dissolved and let it cool down and strain trough a fine sieve.
Keep refrigerated.
Find more cocktail recipes and spirits stories by following T. Michelle Murphy on Twitter: @TMichelleMurphy.
