Garden Envy and Spanish Pepper Gimlets

Garden Envy and Hot Pepper Gimlets

This has been a season of garden disappointment for many of us amateurs throughout the bay area.  Indeed, many of my tomatoes have gone the way of the Giant’s hitting, first pitch swinging and hitting soft liners to short consisting of a solitary tomato hanging alone on it’s cage while the plant withers around it.

And they haven’t tasted very good either.  Whether you blame the unusually cold nights this year or the mysterious blight that has arrived from the east coast that sucks whatever moisture is left in the ground after the ants do their thing it is not a pretty site.  Some plants never formed flowers, most flowered like crazy only to fall to the ground with enough heat to set them.  Their identification tags pop up from the ground like tombstones, announcing an organic heirloom lineage that wasn’t mean for bay area growers.  Nepal, Stupice, Zebra, Sungold.  All dead by mid August.  Basil that never go over 2 inches tall squash plants that are already withered and gone.

Yesterday I visited Quivara vineyards in Healdsburg.  While the goats, the creek and the full grape vines were enough to enjoy alone (along with sun and 80 degree temperatures) it was thegarden that made me want to tear mine out and start over or maybe give up on hot weather plants entirely.  Raised bed after bed of beautifully staked tomatoes, basil so full it looked like lavendar, squash the size of clubs….One of the best looking vegetable gardens I have ever seen, all contracted out to local restaurants with the $$ going to charity.

Another failure of this summer was my Spanish pepper plans.  I got a grand total of 2 tiny peppers from the this plant.  Visions of pan fried piquenos disappeared in the Bay Area fog.  But these two peppers gave it up well, contributing a wonderful flavor and slight bit of heat to my Vodka Hot Pepper Gimlets.  That eased some of the pain.

To make 2 of  these hot pepper gimlets you will need:

2 shots vodka

1 shot triple sec

2 grilled lime

2 peppers.

Roll the limes to break up the interiors and grill over a gas flame or bbq (this can be done in advance.

Dice the peppers reserving 1 thin slice for each drink.

Juice the limes.

In a shaker mix the vodka, triple sec, lime juice and diced peppers.

Pour into tumber adding ice if desired.  A martini glass works too.

Add the pepper slice for color.  Enjoy.

And yes, why not play with tequila for a hot pepper margarita and switch peppers to your heart’s desire getting a wide variety of these post modern cocktails.  Oh, and check out this crazy goat: