Mucho Take It Easy Recipe

Make syrup

Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 8 lightly crushed green cardamom pods. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves and bring to a gentle simmer for 4 minutes to extract cardamom flavor. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 20 minutes. Taste; if you want stronger cardamom flavor, steep up to 40 minutes.

Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve (or cheesecloth) into a clean container, pressing on the pods to extract liquid. Discard pods. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Syrup will keep ~2 weeks refrigerated.

Chill glass

If desired, chill a highball or rocks glass by filling it with ice and cold water, then set aside while you build the cocktail.

Combine base spirits and citrus

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz Milagro Reposado, 0.5 oz Becherovka, 1 oz fresh blood orange juice, 0.5 oz fresh lime juice, 0.5 oz chilled cardamom simple syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Shake

Add a large handful of ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for about 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty and well chilled.

Prepare glass

Discard chilling ice/water from your glass and add fresh ice (large cube or 3/4 cup crushed/regular ice).

Strain and top

Double-strain the shaken mixture into the prepared glass over fresh ice. Top gently with 3 oz chilled blood orange cider to preserve carbonation. Stir once gently with a bar spoon to integrate.

Garnish & finish

Express the oils of an orange twist over the cocktail and rim the glass with it, or float a blood orange wheel. Optionally add one more dash of Angostura bitters on top for aroma. Serve with a straw or without.

Taste and adjust: if you prefer sweeter, add 0.25 oz more cardamom syrup; for more herbal bitterness, increase Becherovka by 0.25 oz next time.