With this New Orleans–inspired cocktail, bartender Maggie Morgan decided to riff off the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking: onion, bell pepper and celery. The clean, herbal notes of the gin and the bright citrus kick of lemon juice help bond the vegetal and Southern spice elements into a balance of sweet, sour and savory, recalling the “rule of thirds” principle in artistic composition.
Rule of Thirds
Maggie Morgan | New Orleans, Louisiana

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 parts Bombay Sapphire gin
- 3/4 parts bell pepper syrup (see Editor’s Note)
- 3/4 parts lemon juice
- 2 dashes celery bitters
Garnish: andouille seasoning, cocktail onion
Directions
- Add gin, bell pepper syrup, lemon juice and celery bitters to a shaker tin.
- Add ice and shake.
- Double-strain into a coupe half-rimmed with andouille seasoning.
- Garnish with a cocktail onion.
Editor's Note
Bell pepper syrup
Makes one quart
16 ounces granulated sugar
16 ounces water
3-4 red bell peppers, sliced
Combine sugar and water in a pan over low-medium heat. Stir until sugar has completely dissolved. Add peppers to pan and turn heat to medium-high. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer mixture for 15 to 20 minutes, until syrup is a light orange color. Remove from heat, strain, and cool.