El Remedio Peruano

“The Peruvian Remedy” with Lemon, Ginger & Pisco

Peru doesn’t have a cocktail tradition like the Bloody Mary, at least that I know of. We do have emolientes, herbal teas that pushcart vendors make with toasted barley, medicinal herbs, and honey to cure your ills any time of day, a tradition that the Spanish brought over (thank you). Fine for some ailments, but sometimes after a late night, a boozy brunch really does seem to cure a few ills.

This martinilike version (it’s pretty strong) is definitely eye-opening. You can feel the heat of the rocoto-spiced pisco and the tanginess of the icy cold lemon juice soothing your throat as it goes down.

• 2 ounces (about 4 tablespoons) Rocoto-Spiced Pisco (see sidebar), or as much as you’d like
• ¾ ounce (about 1½ tablespoons) fresh lemon juice
• ¼ ounce (about 1½ teaspoons) agave nectar or honey, or to taste
• ¼ ounce (about 1½ teaspoons) Ginger Syrup (recipe)
• Thin slice of lemon

Combine the spiced pisco, lemon juice, agave nectar, and ginger syrup in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds, or as long as you can early in the morning. Taste and add more agave, if you need a little more at this hour. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with lemon. Serve inmediatamente.

Ginger Syrup

Makes a generous ½ cup

To make unflavored simple syrup for a Pisco Sour (page 226) and other cocktails, leave out the ginger and boil the water for only a minute or two.

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, ½ cup water, and the ginger to a low boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened, turn off the heat, and steep the ginger for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl or jar and discard the ginger. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Rocoto-Spiced Pisco

I usually leave a good spirit alone. Still, some mornings, a smoky-hot pisco is a bienvenida, welcome, infusion. For a brunch, make a big batch ahead. Or, on those unanticipated days when you need a morning remedy, you can mix up as few as two cocktails’ worth of infused pisco.

To make Rocoto-Spiced Pisco: Pour 1 (750ml) bottle pisco into a large pitcher (save the bottle) and stir in 2 tablespoons rocoto paste (see page 34). Let the pisco infuse for 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour if you like your cocktails really spicy (a good excuse to taste the pisco). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into another pitcher, or use a funnel to pour the pisco back into the bottle and seal. Keeps indefinitely. Makes 1 (750ml) bottle.

To make enough for 2 cocktails, decrease the pisco to 4 ounces (½ cup) and the rocoto paste to 1 teaspoon.