As I mentioned last week, the theme here all month long is HOT HOT HEAT! And judging by the mercury-topping temperatures this week here in New York, it appears Mother Nature keeps up with this blog, because she’s definitely doing her part to keep the theme as relevant as possible.

But unlike all the whiny crybabies out there complaining that summer’s too hot (the same folks that complain winter’s too cold) I’m all for it. The higher the temperature and humidity, the better. In fact, I only complain about the heat in three scenarios: 1) If I’m stuck indoors, 2) If I’m stuck in the subway station, and 3) If I’m stuck behind the exhaust pipe of a bus.

Otherwise I got no problem if the heat’s coming directly from nature, like say, the sun. But maybe that’s because I’m colored–or as my friends joke, because I’m from the desert. Besides, there’s no better reason to grab an refreshing ice-cold beverage than when it’s stank hot, so let’s get down to it–but first, the CKTL Jam which took place at Astor Center last week.

Recently Pipeline Brands began holding a series of semi-annual events called CKTL Jam, which is basically a night of improv mixology, where bartenders jump behind the stick and jam out with an array of fresh ingredients and mixers, along with individual spirits from the Pipeline portfolio that each bartender is assigned (you can see a video of the first CKTL Jam here).

This time around, the NY Chapter of the US Bartenders’ Guild provided the mixologists, and yours truly got a chance to get behind the bar and flex some freestyle mixology.

Hal Wolin of A Muddled Thought reppin’ hard for the USBG!

Maxwell Britten, who tends bar at Freemans, jams out…

Every hour three different bartenders got behind the bar and mixed up drinks for the thirsty crowd using the available ingredients.  I was assigned Scorpion Mezcal, and when it was my turn to get busy, I came up with two cocktails, one I call the Cherry Pepper Margarita, and the other that’s yet unnamed, which I’ll share next week when it’s properly Christened.

Cherry Pepper Margarita
2 oz tequila blanco
1 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz agave nectar
6 pitted cherries
6 slices bell pepper
kosher salt for rim

Tools: muddler, shaker, strainer
Glass: chilled cocktail coupe

First moisten the outside rim of your glass with a piece of lime and dip it in the salt.  Then add the cherries and bell pepper together in the shaker and muddle well to extract the juices of both.  Add the remaining ingredients along with plenty of ice and shake well and hard, for at least 10 seconds.  Strain into your glass and drink up.

I’ll be honest, I was pretty nervous about the drinks I created because I didn’t have an opportunity to test them before serving, so I had to trust how they tasted in my head. Combining ingredients as varied as cherries and bell peppers would be either absolutely disgusting or divine; still, I figured the greater the risk, the greater the reward, and luckily in the end it all worked out as folks seemed to enjoy both drinks.

Hopefully by next week I’ll have a name for the other creation and I’ll be able to share it with you. I’ll give you a little hint: it’s got Sriracha.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

Reposado tequila is a type that has been aged anywhere from a minimum of two months up to a maximum of one year in oak barrels. This aging process is what imparts color and depth of flavor to tequilas (to all spirits for that matter). Because reposados are only aged up to a year, they will attain only a slight woody flavor and light golden color (which they pick up from the barrels they are stored in) compared with the much darker and more complex anejos which are aged up to three years. In tequila drinks, reposado is a great choice when seeking a bit more depth without feeling as if you’re wasting good money and good liquor.

Today’s tequila treatise is a triple treat, as I will share with you three recipes, each using reposado tequila. The first is an original I created which I call Midnight in Mexico. Originally this was all I was going to share today but my ever-persuasive good friend Kayoko requested that I share a classic Margarita recipe. Not being one to disappoint a friend, and despite last week’s mention that I was not going to do Margaritas, I decided to do her one better and share two Margarita recipes: the first, a classic and traditional Margarita, and the second, my recipe for a Pomegranate-Blueberry Margarita.

First let’s get the Margaritas out of the way. There are at least seven different competing stories regarding the origin of the Margarita, and because today’s topic is reposado tequila, I will indulge none of them. Besides, we have a lot of drinking to do today. So let’s begin with the simplest to prepare, the original, which is one of the Essential Cocktails every respectable bar–professional or home–should be able to make.

Classic Margarita
2 oz reposado tequila (Cazadores is a great inexpensive option)
1/2 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz simple syrup (1.5:1 sugar to water)
sea salt for rim

Tools: cocktail shaker, strainer

Glass: double rocks

Rub a lime around the rim of the glass and dip into the salt to coat the rim, then fill glass with ice. Place the remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker along with ice and shake well. Strain into your glass and enjoy.

If you prefer a crisper tasting Margarita, simply use unaged silver (plata) tequila instead. When I prefer a little woody flavor in my Margarita I use a reposado. But regardless of which type of tequila you use, it is absolutely essential that you use one made of 100% agave. The bottles will denote this–if your bottle doesn’t, then it is probably a cheap “mixto,” which may be comprised up to 49% by other types of fermented sugars as filler. The point is to use tequila, not shitty rum disguised as tequila.

It is also worth noting that many Margarita recipes call for Triple Sec instead of Cointreau. It is a matter of my strong preference to use Cointreau, which I think is superior in taste, though ultimately the choice is yours.

“Sour mix” is another commonly called-for ingredient in Margaritas, though it should be diligently avoided. Instead, just use lime juice and simple syrup. If you regularly enjoy Margaritas you can simply pre-mix your lime juice and simple syrup in the ratio which best suits your taste. And it goes without saying (though I will say it) that you should opt for fresh squeezed lime juice. It really is no burden, and the benefit is exponential compared with the bottled stuff.

And now on to the Pomegranate-Blueberry Margarita. I know it sounds a bit trendy but I happened to have pomegranate juice and blueberries, so I figured why not? Besides, this will be a little different than others you may have tried before.

Pomegranate-Blueberry Margarita
2 oz reposado tequila
1 oz pomegranate juice (you can also use blueberry-pom juice if it pleases you)
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz berry syrup
10-12 blueberries
Black sea salt for rim

Tools: cocktail shaker, strainer, muddler

Glass: double rocks

Rub a lime around the rim of the glass and dip into the salt to coat the rim, then fill glass with ice. Put a few blueberries aside (for garnish) and put the rest in your shaker and crush them with the muddler. Add the remaining ingredients along with ice and shake well. Strain into your glass and drop the remaining blueberries in for garnish.

Although I normally opt for fresh squeezed juices, please feel free to exempt yourself from the gratuitous punishment of squeezing juice out of pomegranate seeds and just buy a bottle. My (Persian) grandmother lives in California and I’m in Brooklyn, so I purchased my juice from the store as well. The Pom brand works fine and I used it here, but if you really want unfettered pomegranate flavor and you have a middle eastern or Indian grocery store near you, seek a brand like Sadaf.

Black sea salt, or lava salt, can be found at gourmet groceries such as Whole Foods. I happened to purchase mine when I was in Hawaii. What makes the black salt unique is that it comes from lava which results in a smokey, earthy flavor–not to mention that it provides a visually stunning color contrast.

By now I hope you’ve gotten your Margarita fix so I can share with you the cocktail I originally created for today, called Midnight in Mexico. My thought process for this is really just an extension of the same principle I have been following with the past couple weeks’ posts on tequila; namely, to do something different with the spirit than what you may be used to. That’s originally why I thought of staying away from Margaritas, despite how much I enjoy them.

Midnight in Mexico
1 1/2 oz reposado tequila
1 oz Pineau de Charentes
1 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 oz rosewater
1/4 oz agave syrup (made from nectar of agave plant, similar in flavor to honey)
1 egg white (always use fresh eggs)
4 dashes Fee Brothers Peach Bitters
Pinch of cardamom

Tools: Tools: cocktail shaker, strainer plus fine strainer for double straining

Glass: chilled coupe glass (pictured)

Place all ingredients except cardamom in cocktail shaker and dry shake (without ice) for a good 15 seconds or so. Now add ice and shake again for another 15 or so seconds, until the outside of shaker is frosted. Pour the drink through both strainers into your chilled glass (called double straining) and sprinkle with a pinch of cardamom.

The purpose of double straining is to have the clearest drink possible and filter out any pulp or stray ice pieces, which is why some bartenders prefer to double strain for almost every shaken cocktail which requires straining. However since this cocktail uses egg white, double straining serves the additional purpose of creating a much smoother top layer of foam. This is important not merely for texture, but also because you want the cardamom to rest atop the plush foam so that you get a nice scent with every sip instead of having it quickly sink to the bottom.

Agave syrup can be found at most health food stores these days, but if you have trouble finding it just substitute honey syrup or simple syrup in its place.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy sipping this drink. Every ingredient really comes through and adds an interesting touch, especially the rosewater and cardamom, which add an especially alluring floral quality that complement the citrus and tequila flavors.

I call this cocktail Midnight in Mexico basically because it was damn near midnight in Mexico when I (in Brooklyn) first created it! Yes, drinking into the wee hours is both a benefit and hazard of this job which I perform with utmost dedication to you, the reader.

If you enjoyed these elixirs, make sure to return next Wednesday where I’ll be mixing cocktails with anejo tequilas (oh no he di-in’t!) (oh yes I did!). Cheers and peace out!

Come back every Wednesday for Paystyle’s weekly Happy Hour column. Photography by Vanessa Bahmani.