At Vancouver’s Michelin-recommended Japanese restaurant Miku, bartender Andy Lang Wong sharpens the classic Paloma with a house-made peppercorn-infused tequila. Japanese plum (ume) adds tartness and colour.
This cocktail only calls for one ounce of the black peppercorn-infused tequila, leaving behind plenty for future drinks. Strain the peppercorns at the specified time to keep the flavour balanced and avoid overwhelming heat. In Japan, ume plums are preserved as pickled fruit (umeboshi) or liqueur (umeshu). This recipe uses plum paste made from the pickled fruit which brings a salty, sour taste with gentle fruitiness. Its subtle sweetness rounds out the cocktail beautifully.
Miku Vancouver's Peppercorn Plum Paloma
A peppercorn-infused tequila adds subtly spicy twist to the classic paloma.
Ingredients
Black Peppercorn-Infused Tequila
- 1 750 mL bottle Don Julio Blanco Tequila
- 1 tsp black peppercorns lightly crushed
Ume Syrup
- 1 litre white sugar
- 1 litre hot water
- 1 250 g bottle Kinjirushi Neri Ume Plum Paste
Cocktail
- ice
- 1 oz Black Peppercorn-Infused Tequila
- 1 oz Tsuru Ume Nigori Umeshu
- 1 oz Ume Syrup
- ½ oz lime juice
- 1½ oz grapefruit juice
- salt and freshly ground pepper for garnish (optional)
- soda water
- grapefruit zest or wheel for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Black Peppercorn-Infused Tequila
- Add lightly crushed peppercorns to bottle of tequila and allow infusion to sit overnight. Strain through fine-mesh strainer to remove solids before using.
Ume Syrup
- Dissolve sugar in hot water. While syrup is still hot, add ume plum paste and stir until fully incorporated. Allow mixture to stand for about 30 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer to remove remaining solids before using.
Cocktail
- In cocktail shaker filled with ice, add Black Peppercorn-Infused Tequila, Tsuru Nigori Umeshu, Ume Syrup, lime juice and grapefruit juice and shake briefly. Strain mixture into Collins filled with ice and half-rimmed with salt and pepper (if desired). Top with soda water and gently stir. To serve, garnish with grapefruit zest or wheel (if desired).
