“I wanted something crushable with tequila and salty cucumber cordial,” says Fanny Chu of her La Bandida. To these two components she adds a splash of mezcal, a house blend of Aperol and crème de pêche and a few ounces of IPA. It’s the sort of flavor pairing that doesn’t quite add up on paper, but in practice yields interesting results: The IPA manages to highlight a grapefruit note in the Aperol that makes for a citrusy, shandy-like result. “It’s weird, but delicious,” says Chu.
La Bandida
Fanny Chu, Donna | Brooklyn, NY
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces tequila, preferably Cabeza
- 1/2 ounce mezcal, preferably Del Maguey Vida
- 3/4 ounce Aperol-Pêche Batch (see Editor’s Note)
- 1 1/2 ounces salty cucumber cordial (see Editor’s Note)
- 1/2 ounce IPA
Garnish: long cucumber slice
Directions
- Combine all ingredients, except IPA, in a mixing tin and shake with ice.
- Pour IPA into double rocks glass over ice.
- Strain shaken ingredients over IPA.
- Garnish with long cucumber slice.
Editor's Note
Aperol-Pêche Batch:
1 part Aperol
1 part Giffard Crème de Pêche
Combine all ingredients in a container and stir.
Salty Cucumber Cordial:
1 Persian cucumber
1 cup water
1 teaspoon sea salt
sugar
lemon juice
Cut cucumber into small pieces and add to Vitamix with water and salt. Blend until smooth, then strain. Measure and add 1:1 sugar (by volume). Stir or blend to dissolve. Measure and add 1:1 lemon juice (by volume). Store in fridge for up to 4 days.