A Farm-to-Glass Summer Cocktail

The next time you get a bounty from your vegetable garden or local farmers market, think beyond dinner. Many vegetables add vibrant color, lush texture, and sweet, earthy flavors to whisky cocktails. One you may not consider trying is bell pepper, particularly yellow, orange, or red ones.

The Yellow Rooster, created by Larry Gonzalez, Beverage Director at Hear & There in Brooklyn, New York, is the perfect way to incorporate some veggies in your drinks. It combines fresh yellow bell pepper juice, herbaceous absinthe, tart citrus, and sweet pineapple with high-corn bourbon for a smooth, silky cocktail that's easy to drink. “It's complex, yet refreshing,” Gonzalez says. Although the bourbon and demerara syrup are rich and provide a round body, the herbs and the bubbles from the grapefruit soda lift everything up. It's a true farm-to-glass masterpiece.

Yellow Rooster

• 2 oz. Buffalo Trace (or other high-corn bourbon)
• 3/4 oz. fresh yellow bell pepper juice (recipe below)
• 1/2 oz. demerara syrup
• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 oz. St. George Absinthe Verte
• 3/4 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 1/2 oz. sparkling pink grapefruit soda
• Umami spice mixture for garnish

Rim a highball with umami spice mixture. Add all ingredients except soda to a shaker tin and dry shake for 12 seconds. Add ice and shake until icy cold, about 10 seconds. Strain into prepared highball over fresh ice, then top with grapefruit soda.

Yellow Bell Pepper Juice

• 1 small yellow bell pepper, washed, stem and seeds removed

Cut pepper into strips that fit your juicer's feed chute. Run strips through the juicer. Transfer to an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to three days.