The Portland Cooler

Name: The Portland Cooler
Yield: serves 1
Ingredients: 1 strip red bell pepper (about 1/2 inch wide by 3 to 4 inches long); 2 large mint leaves; 2 ounces (1/4 cup) gin; 2 ounces (1/4 cup) lime juice; 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) strong simple syrup (see Tip)

December 22, 2011

Portland, Oregon, is one of my favorite places to visit—mainly to visit our dearest friends, but also for the fantastic foods and possibly the best farmers’ market in the country. This drink was inspired by a magical afternoon there, spent distillery hopping on a bicycle. The bell pepper is a surprising ingredient; it adds a slight sweetness to this unique, very quaffable beverage.

Recipe notes

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