As cocktail culture evolves, salt has become a staple behind the bar, adding some balance to drinks. While rimming a glass with salt is common, adding salt directly into the drink offers its own benefits. Infused salts, like grasshopper salt in the Loaded Pistol cocktail, elevate flavors.
Designed by Erick Castro of Polite Provisions in San Diego, the Loaded Pistol showcases grasshopper salt alongside mezcal, sweet vermouth, and Liquore Strega. Grasshopper salt brings its flavor profile, enhancing the drink. While unfamiliar to many in the US, grasshopper salt is a common ingredient in Oaxacan cuisine, making it a natural pairing with mezcal.
Dried grasshoppers, the key ingredient for grasshopper salt, are readily available in specialty stores and Latin American markets. While pre-made grasshopper salt is an option, making it from scratch allows for a unique experience. Consider serving a side of dried grasshoppers to accompany the cocktail for an extra touch
Liquore Strega, known for its yellow color from saffron, adds botanical richness to the cocktail. With over 70 ingredients including mint and fennel, it adds depth and complexity at 80-proof. Grapefruit bitters provide a final touch, brightening the cocktail’s lush flavors and rounding out its herbal notes.
Loaded Pistol Cocktail Ingredients
- Mezcal (45 ml / 1.5 oz): The cocktail’s base, adds a smokiness that’s intense. Opt for a premium mezcal to ensure the smoke complements rather than overpowers.
- Sweet Vermouth (22.5 ml / 0.75 oz): With its rich, herbal sweetness, bridges the gap between the mezcal’s smoke and the Strega’s herbal brightness.
- Strega (15 ml / 0.5 oz): An Italian liqueur known for its 70+ herbs and spices, adds a mystical, herbal dimension that blends well with the other ingredients.
- Grapefruit Bitters (1 dash): A touch of citrus bitterness that ties the drink together, adding a brightness that balances the depth.
- Grasshopper Salt for Garnish: A blend of flaky sea salt and dehydrated grasshoppers, this unique garnish adds a crunchy texture and a novel flavor twist, enhancing the cocktail’s smoky and herbal notes.
Loaded Pistol Cocktail Recipe
- Muddling the Flavors: Begin by muddling a slice of jalapeño and watermelon cubes in a shaker. This step extracts the juices, merging the jalapeño’s spicy kick with the watermelon’s sweet, refreshing juiciness.
- Combining the Spirits: To this base, add the measured quantities of mezcal, sweet vermouth, Strega, and a dash of grapefruit bitters, along with ice. Shake well, ensuring the mixture is well-chilled and the flavors mixed.
- Straining: Fine-strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. This step ensures a smooth texture, free of pulp and seeds, making each sip a seamless blend of smoky, sweet, and herbal notes.
- Garnishing: Sprinkle a bit of the grasshopper salt over the cocktail. This innovative garnish not only adds a textural contrast but also an earthy flavor that complements the mezcal’s smokiness.
Making The Grasshopper Salt
To prepare grasshopper salt, combine 1/2 cup of flaky sea salt with 2 teaspoons of dehydrated grasshoppers in a blender. Pulse the mixture for 7 to 12 seconds until the grasshoppers and salt are thoroughly mixed. Transfer the grasshopper salt to an airtight container for storage.
Created by Erick Castro, renowned bartender of San Diego’s Polite Provisions and Raised by Wolves, this cocktail melds mezcal, sweet vermouth, and Strega, an herbal liqueur.
A hint of grapefruit bitters adds depth. Notably, the drink is garnished with a rim of dried grasshopper salt, contributing to its intriguing flavor profile.
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