July 24, 2015
Handout Art/Abe Fisher
The Green Means Go is one of a few new seasonal drinks on the menu for the next six weeks or so.
Do you associate July 24 with fond memories of celebrating National Tequila Day over the years? Probably not. It’s one of those silly food/booze holidays likely invented by someone in the tequila industry.
Yet it’s reason enough to highlight a brand-new addition to Abe Fisher’s cocktail menu, the Green Means Go. It pairs blanco tequila with herbal Green Chartreuse, refreshing cucumber, and—for a serious kick—long hot peppers.
Bartender Erik Boardman and CookNSolo beverage director Brian Kane were inspired by the fiery margaritas they served years ago at Xochitl (the formerly CookNSolo-owned Society Hill Mexican restaurant).
“We used to do serrano, Thai chiles and jalapeños in the margaritas,” says Kane. Now they cherry-pick the hottest long hot peppers in the Abe Fisher kitchen, muddle them with cucumber and shake with tequila, Green Chartreuse, lime and honey.
“The idea was to do clean flavors and accent the vegetal and herbaceous notes of the tequila,” says Kane. “The peppers bring the heat to the party.”
The Green Means Go is one of a few new seasonal drinks on the menu for the next six weeks or so. All of Abe Fisher’s cocktails—plus all wines by the glass—are just $7 during happy hour, which runs seven days a week from 5 to 7 p.m. and includes worthwhile food specials (like three mini sandwiches on house-made rye for $5).
For those who prefer to commemorate National Tequila Day at the beach or on your patio, find the Green Means Go recipe here:
Abe Fisher’s Green Means Go
1 long hot pepper (about 6 inches long; see Note)
4 cucumber slices (about 1/4 inch thick)
1 1/2 oz. Corralejo tequila blanco (or another blanco tequila such as Espolón)
1/2 oz. Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/4 oz. honey syrup (1 part honey dissolved into 1 part hot water)
Cut the pepper crosswise into slices about ¼ inch thick; discard the core and seeds. In a shaker, muddle pepper and cucumber slices. Add tequila, Green Chartreuse, lime juice, honey syrup and ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe.
Note: The heat level of long hot peppers varies, so proceed with caution and adjust according to personal heat tolerance.
