Pepper Herb Vodka

2 bottles (750 ml each) vodka

½

roasted red pepper, chopped

½

roasted yellow pepper, chopped

6 ounces cucumber, diced

10 cloves garlic

2 ounces aleppo chile, chopped

3 dried Thai chiles

2 ounces fresh oregano

7 fresh basil leaves

3-4 mulato chiles, diced

Add all ingredients to a large suntea or lemonade jar, the type with a spigot on the bottom works best.

Allow mixture to steep 1 to 2 weeks. Taste for spiciness at the end of the first week; the longer it sits, the more intense the taste and color gets.

Discard vegetables, chiles, and herbs and strain liquor through a chinois or coffee filter. Return to jar. Use in bloody Marys and other savory cocktails.

Vince Balisteri, beverage director, Niche, Geneva