Ancho Chili Lemonade

Katrina and I can’t quite remember how this drink came to be.  We had talked about making this Chipotle Cream Sauce, and somehow leftover peas led to our leftover lemons which led to the creation of this sweet and spicy lemonade.  We couldn’t find dried chipotle, so we ended up using ancho chiles.  I think we really lucked out from this last minute decision at a local grocer, and created an Ancho Chili Lemonade which starts sweet and earthy, lightens up with some sour citrus notes, and then finishes with a mild heat that creeps up on the palette.






I’m really hoping that we start a new trend with this lemonade.  The mild heat from the ancho chili is a great enhancement to a classic summertime drink, and would fit in well at any barbecue or summertime event.  We use a basic 1-part water, 1-part sugar, 1-part lemon juice for our usual lemonade mix, and all this recipe adds is one chopped ancho chili during the simple syrup creation.  My first sip of this drink was an awakening experience.  It was just like my first bite of a chili-infused chunk of dark chocolate.  Try this recipe out!!!


Ancho Chili Lemonade

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ingredients (makes 2 quarts):

  • 1 c. water
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (5 lemons or so)
  • (1) dried ancho chili pepper
  • tequila (optional)

directions:

  1. Squeeze juice from lemons.  Microwave briefly and roll on flat surface for optimum juice flow.  Pass juice through mesh strainer into pitcher to remove large pulp and seeds.
  2. Remove stem from ancho chili pepper.  Slice into thin strips and retain seeds.
  3. Begin to heat water and sugar in a small pot.  Add ancho chili strips and seeds and stir to combine.  Keep stirring until a syrup forms.  Pass syrup through mesh strainer into pitcher to remove ancho chili parts.
  4. Add a few cups of ice to pitcher and fill up to two-quart mark.  After cooling, serve in a sugar-rimmed glass and garnish with a lemon twist.  Optionally, add up to one shot of tequila to spike lemonade.


Add another chili to the simple syrup if you would like to up the flavor a bit.  I thought one chili was the perfect amount of heat. Katrina hates spicy things but loved this lemonade. That’s how mild and refreshing the flavor really is. Maybe one day you’ll see this in stores :)


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