Secret Third Option
Kyler Nolan’s Secret Third Option began with a craving. While revisiting the Death & Co archives, he found inspiration in Lo Wyatt-Zulueta’s Alley Darts, another Death & Co Denver drink made with yellow bell pepper syrup, and brought the unique ingredient back for a new purpose: a bright, sessionable Margarita. Crème de pêche amplifies the pepper’s sweetness, Manzanilla sherry adds a savory thread of salinity, and tequila and agave carry it all the way through. The name dates to the train trip home from Kyler’s first visit to New York. He planned to stop and visit a friend in Lincoln, Nebraska, but his ticket took him to Omaha. Another friend pointed out the “secret third option”: simply get off the train when it stopped in Lincoln. The phrase later became the perfect name for a drink offering its own unexpected alternative.
Secret Third Option
1 ounce Arette Blanco Tequila
½ ounce Manzanilla Sherry
½ ounce Giffard Crème de Pêche
¾ ounce Yellow Bell Pepper Syrup (see Note)
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
Shake all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a salt-rimmed double old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Note: To make Yellow Bell Pepper Syrup, combine 2 parts fresh yellow bell pepper juice with 1 part granulated sugar in a blender and blend until the sugar has dissolved. If making a large batch of the syrup, add a small amount of ascorbic acid (weigh the bell pepper juice and use 0.5% ascorbic acid) to prevent oxidation.
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