Picante Amante: A Prickly Pear Margarita

• 1 1/2 ozblanco tequila (Dusk Bar uses Don Fulano or Mijenta)
• 1/2 ozmezcal (Dusk uses Bozal Ensamble or Amaras Verde)
• 1 ozfresh lime juice
• 3/4 ozprickly pear cordial (or Liquid Alchemist or Real)
• 3 dasheshabanero bitters (or Scrappy's firewater habanero tincture)

Preparation

1. 1.

   Add all of the ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a glass rimmed with peppercorn salt. Garnish.

2. 2.

   Prickly Pear CordialAdd 2 cups of white sugar to a pot. Muddle the peels of 5 limes until aroma is present and the sugar is well saturated. Add one can of Perfect Puree prickly pear and 2 oz. of fresh lime juice. Heat on low and stir until sugar is dissolved. This will keep in the refrigerator for three weeks.

3. 3.

   NoteThe trick to this syrup is you only want the heat present to dissolve the sugar into the mixture. You do not want to overheat/cook, as it will change the flavor.

4. 4.

   Habanero TinctureAdd 6 roughly chopped habaneros to 1 cup of vodka. Let the mixture sit for a minimum of 10 days and then strain out the peppers. The longer you let the peppers sit, the more flavor and spice you will get in this tincture. This will keep indefinitely.

5. 5.

   Pink Peppercorn SaltCombine equal parts of kosher salt and pink peppercorns in a blender and blend until fully incorporated.