Coolidge cocktail

( Photo by Ken Hively )

This cocktail, created at the Hungry Cat in Hollywood by bartender Danielle Motor for actress Jennifer Coolidge, combines interesting ingredients such as chiles and rice wine vinegar, making for a drink that almost has the feel of a deconstructed Bloody Mary. Prosit!!

Servings: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:
3 thin slices cucumber, 2 sliced crosswise and 1 sliced lengthwise (like a surfboard), divided
Scant 1 tablespoon minced roasted Fresno chile (peeled and seeded), or to taste
1 1/2 ounces Russian wheat vodka, preferably Egorushka
1 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce rice wine vinegar

In a pint glass or cocktail shaker, muddle together the crosswise-sliced cucumber and chile. Add the vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice and rice wine vinegar. Fill with ice and shake vigorously. Pour the cocktail and ice (without straining) into another pint glass and garnish with the lengthwise-sliced cucumber. Serve immediately.