How to Make the Banana Pepper Cocktail

I’m honestly surprised at how much this cocktail tastes like banana peppers, and that’s a really good thing. This is a great drink you should try making.

This drink starts with the amazing Waterloo No. 9 Gin from Treaty Oak Distillery. This is almost a London Dry gin, but it embraces the ingredients you can find in Central Texas to complement that traditional juniper flavor. I taste notes of lavender and citrus that balance perfectly to not come across as overly perfume-y. There’s also a sweetness that places it firmly in the category of a modern gin expression.

The next ingredient that stands out in this drink is the arugula tincture. It’s so simple to make and has such a big impact. It adds a wonderful peppery flavor to the drink. I’m guessing this is where most of the similarity to banana peppers come from, but I can’t deny the impact of Suze.

The Saveur d’Autrefois is one of my favorite amari. It’s pleasantly sweet with notes of vanilla and citrus. I’d probably put this more in line with aperitifs than digestifs, but let’s not get in to the minutiae of amari. They’re all amazing. The sweetness here works really well with the gin and the heat and spice of the arugula tincture.

The biggest surprise of all is just how much this tastes like banana peppers. There’s not a pepper to be seen, but the flavor is spot on. And I’m not kidding that this could absolutely be a great companion to pizza.

Try it and let me know what you think.