Great Winter Warmer: Poquito Picante Cocktail

That groundhog sure was right—it’s still freezing outside! One way to cure the winter doldrums? Put a fire in your belly with a spicy cocktail, like the Poquito Piquante from Latin cantina Yerba Buena in Manhattan’s East Village. This gin-based drink is muy caliente, refreshing and easy to make at home—Mexican-born mixologist Artemio Vasquez, who created the drink, shows us how it’s done:

Ingredients:
6 to 8 cilantro leafs
2 slices of cucumber with skin
3 slices of seedless jalapeño
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
¾ oz simple syrup
½ oz Cointreau
2 oz Tanqueray gin

Directions:

1. Muddle cilantro, cucumber, and jalapeño with lemon juice, pressing gently.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Shake well and strain twice.
4. Garnish with a dry chili pepper.

Yerba Buena
23 Avenue A
New York, NY 10008

212-529-2919