Spice up Thanksgiving drinks
Story and photo by JANNA ZEPP
I love the flavor of pears, but not the texture. I love the sizzle of jalapeños, but not the white-hot nuclear blister. I am ambiguous about vodka, but I enjoy flavored varieties.
Imagine my joy at discovering the Spicy Pear Martini during my frequent travels to Waxahachie when having dinner at Ohana, a great little sushi and pho joint right off U.S. Highway 287. I am up that way quite a bit for my regular acting gig during the spring at one of the largest renaissance faires in the United States: Scarborough Renaissance Festival. We are opening a new autumn version of the show this October and November, and I will be performing there too, so Ohana is gonna see a lot more of me.
My best friend, fellow performer, and favorite Czech chick, Becky Rau, and I love their cocktails. The SPM is our favorite. But one night, a new mixologist behind the bar accidentally left the seeds in the jalapeños used for garnish. Not only did we send our drinks back, we had to rub aloe on our lips to sooth the sting. Our eyes and noses ran for 30 minutes straight. Ohana, being amazing as usual, not only replaced the drinks, they comped them. Our loyalty to the restaurant is well-placed, and we still cackle now and then about the Great Nuclear Jalapeño Disaster of 2024.
With Thanksgiving coming up, the usual delicious holiday fare being what it is, and pears being in season, Becky and I highly recommend spicing up your dinner pre- and/or post-game (and attendant conversations with relatives of different perspectives on life) with this unusual martini. Your family might not agree politically, but they’ll definitely agree with your mixologist skills, and you possibly could achieve interpersonal peace with this delightful concoction.
Spicy Pear Martini
Ingredients
2 ounces pear vodka
1 ounce pear nectar or pear liqueur
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice (or 1/4 ounce each of lemon and lime juice)
1/2 ounce simple syrup or agave nectar (adjust to taste)
3 or 4 slices of fresh jalapeño
Ice
Equipment
Cocktail shaker
Martini glass
Muddler (or the back of a wooden spoon)
Instructions
Chill your glass: Place a martini glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink.
Add the fresh jalapeño slices and simple syrup or agave to a cocktail shaker. Gently muddle the jalapeño to release its spicy oils and flavor without breaking it apart.
Pour the pear vodka, pear nectar or liqueur, and fresh lime juice into the shaker.
Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds until the outside is well-chilled.
Empty the ice from your chilled martini glass. Strain the cocktail into the glass, catching any jalapeño bits.
Add a slice of jalapeño for a visually appealing finish.
Tips for customization
For more burn: Leave the seeds in the jalapeño before muddling. For even more sizzle, make a jalapeño-infused simple syrup ahead of time by simmering sliced jalapeños with water and sugar.
For less burn: Remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño before adding it to the shaker. You can also simply shake the jalapeño slices with the cocktail instead of muddling them.
Sweetness level: Adjust the amount of simple syrup or agave to control the sweetness. You can also substitute a pear liqueur for the pear nectar for a sweeter, more robust pear flavor.
