Spice things up

Mix up a chilli-spiked margarita with a recipe from Miriam Nice, plus learn about tequila’s smokier cousin, mezcal, and this summer’s best tipples, chosen by our drinks expert Georgina Kiely

Spicy margarita

SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 5 mins MORE EFFORT V

150ml tequila

75ml triple sec

25ml chilli syrup (see below) 25ml mango juice

25ml lime juice handful of ice

For the chilli syrup

1 red chilli, sliced

50g golden caster sugar

For the salt rim small handful of coriander, leaves

picked and inely chopped ½ lime, zested

2 tsp sea salt lakes

2 tsp golden caster sugar

½ tsp chipotle chilli lakes

1 First, make the chilli syrup. Put the sliced chilli and sugar in a saucepan with 50ml water. Bring to a simmer over a lowmedium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Turn o the heat and leave to cool completely.

2 For the salt rim garnish, mix all the ingredients together and tip onto a shallow plate. Brush the rims of four tumblers with a little water, then dip the rims in the chilli-salt mixture. Set aside while you make the margarita.

3 Tip all the cocktail ingredients into a large cocktail shaker or blender and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker feels cold, or pulse two or three times to combine. You want to chill, aerate and dilute the drink, but not completely crush the ice.

4 Fill a large jug and the prepared tumblers with ice cubes, then strain the cocktail into the jug and stir well before pouring into the tumblers.

GOOD TO KNOW vegan • gluten free

PER SERVING 160 kcals • fat none •

saturates none • carbs 9g • sugars 8g

• ibre none • protein 0.1g • salt 0.6g