Named for their deep red flesh and rosy blush on the skin, Blood Oranges are the perfect blend of juicy, sweet, and tart — making them the ideal cocktail ingredient. Harry Brigham, bar manager and mixologist at the Ram’s Head Inn on Shelter Island, New York, shares his take on the drink trend of the moment.

Harry shares, “I have always enjoyed the combination of sweet and spicy, and the citrus and juniper are a perfect pair. I have also tried this with granular sugar and muddled cayenne pepper (use a small amount cayenne as it goes along way). It’s a great substitute for the cayenne simple syrup. The granular sugar can add a nice texture to the drink. I use the cayenne pepper because I prefer the flavor and heat to that of the jalapeno which is the more common pepper used in cocktails these days.”

Hot Blooded

1/2 blood orange cut into 4 pieces
1 oz cayenne simple syrup
2 oz Botanist Gin

Muddle blood orange with cayenne simple syrup
Add gin and ice
Shake and pour into glass & top with ice
Garnish with lime wedge, blood orange slice, and a lemon twist