At a recent dinner party for some girlfriends at my apartment, I was in need of a festive cocktail to provide ultimate refreshment on a hot summer day. For a girly gathering, I decided a girly drink was in order.
I’ve been dying to try the Pink Panther since I read about it in Eric Felten’s column for The Wall Street Journal. In this particular column, Mr. Felten examines the role of women in bar tending history, culminating in a recipe from New York bartender Aisha Sharpe, prepared especially for the James Beard “Women in Food” culinary gala.
The Pink Panther is an intoxicating–and simple–mix of lime juice, grapefruit, agave nectar and tequi
la, muddled together with pink peppercorns. The pink peppercorn, which isn’t actually a peppercorn but a berry, lends a hint of sweet and mildly spicy flavor. Truth be told, the end result isn’t all that pink, as you can see from the picture, but it is all that tasty.
You’ll note that this recipe calls for reposado tequila, which got me thinking about the different types of tequila and just what makes one different from the other. Tequilas labeled “silver” or “platinum” are the purest form of the liquor – clear and unaged. Reposado, meanwhile, has been rested and aged. You can also find extra- and ultra-aged versions, but reposado is the first stage of aging. It’s typically a shade of gold, a color imparted from the aging process in oak barrels. The aging takes anywhere from two to 12 months. The reposado flavor tends to be a bit smoother than unaged versions.
But whatever type of tequila you have on hand, this recipe is one to try!
Pink Panther
Courtesy of Aisha Sharpe and Wall Street Journal.
Serves one.
- 1 ½ oz reposado tequila
- ¾ oz fresh ruby-red grapefruit juice
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- ¼ oz agave nectar
- 2 dozen pink peppercorns
Muddle half the peppercorns in a shaker together with the lime juice. Add the other liquids, shake with ice, and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Float the other pink peppercorns on the drink for garnish. [Note: Miss Mojito decided to serve her version on the rocks, and without the garnish.]
Posted by Miss Mojito.
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