Paradise City Recipe

Prepare infusion

Sterilize a small jar. Split or leave whole 3 bird's eye chilies (removing stems) and add to the jar. Pour 12 oz neutral vodka over the chilies, seal, and shake gently.

Infuse at room temperature for 12–24 hours for a bright, medium-heat infusion. Taste after 12 hours; if too mild, continue up to 48 hours. When desired heat is reached, strain out chilies through a fine mesh and transfer infused vodka to a bottle. (Use 2 oz per cocktail.)

Chill: Place a coupe or rocks glass in the freezer 5–10 minutes or fill with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to chill the glass.

Combine ingredients: In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz Thai chili-infused vodka, 1 oz white rum, 0.75 oz fresh lime juice, 1.5 oz fresh pineapple juice, 0.5 oz coconut cream, 0.5 oz simple syrup, 0.5 oz orange curaçao, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Add ice: Fill the shaker with about 1 cup of ice (enough to nearly fill the shaker).

Shake: Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker becomes very cold and slightly frosty. This chills and dilutes the cocktail properly and emulsifies the coconut cream.

Prepare glass: Remove the chilled glass from the freezer or dump the ice water. If you prefer, run a cut lime or a halved chili around the rim for a subtle aroma and heat (optional).

Strain: Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or a rocks glass filled with fresh ice using a Hawthorne or fine-mesh strainer to remove small ice chips and any pulp.

Garnish: Float the halved Thai chili on the surface (seeds in or out depending on desired heat), add the pineapple wedge to the rim, and tuck a mint sprig next to it. The visual of the red chili and tropical pineapple evokes 'Paradise City.'

Serve: Present immediately. Advise guests the drink has a pronounced chili heat from the infused vodka; suggest sipping slowly to enjoy the balance of sweet, tart, creamy, and spicy.