A cocktail that’s Better Than Catnip wraps up our Dry January series with a bang. It sounds benign, but looks menacing. The herbaceous cucumber aroma and sweetness immediately draw you in, but at the finish you’re hit with heat. Suddenly, you’re addicted to the sweet and spicy flavor combination.
Human catnip is traded on the black market , but what’s a little contraband between friends? The secret ingredient is jalapeno pepper and it pairs beautifully with the cucumber, lime and honey syrup. I like these hot enough to catch in your throat, but you can customize it to suit your own taste. Adjust the syrup and jalapeno to please your inner kitten.
Goodbye Dry January
This is the final installment, but a welcome addition year-round. We successfully (and temporarily) eliminated the alcohol, but retained all the flavor and fun.
If you’re paying attention, you know how I feel about the word mocktail. This and other non-alcoholic drinks are genuine, real and authentic, so please give them the respect they deserve.
Better Than Catnip is the last of this series, but it’s certainly not the least. If you missed The Virgin Man, Bug’s Treat or The Purple People Pleaser, take a look at what you missed.
Remember, although it’s farewell to January it won’t be long until it’s time for Sober October! Print
Better Than Catnip
Cucumber, lime, honey and jalapeno
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
- 2 oz freshly squeezed cucumber juice
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz honey syrup ( you may substitute agave or simple syrup)
- 2–4 pea-sized dollops of jalapeno pepper puree
- Small jalapeno slice – garnish
- Nick & Nora glass
Instructions
- Chill your glass in the cooler
- Add the cucumber and lime juice, honey syrup and jalapeno puree to a shaker with ice
- Shake until the puree has time to integrate with the other ingredients and chill
- Double strain and pour over a rock in the glass
- Garnish with the jalapeno slice on a cocktail pic