Ryan Magarian, a bar consultant in Seattle, developed a cocktail he calls the Love Unit for the Hyde Lounge in West Hollywood. His clients were deeply skeptical when he told them the Love Unit contains vanilla rum, grapefruit juice, basil leaves and red bell peppers. “Everybody kind of went, ‘No way,’ ” Mr. Magarian recalled. And yet the Love Unit has found a loyal following.
Ingredients
- 3 red bell pepper rings, sliced 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick
- 3 basil leaves
- 1 ounce vanilla rum
- 1 ounce light rum
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- ½ ounce fresh grapefruit juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
1 cocktail
Preparation
- In a cocktail shaker gently muddle two bell pepper rings and two basil leaves. Add remaining ingredients. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 6 seconds.
- Pour drink through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a chilled cocktail glass. Place second basil leaf on palm of one hand and slap it with the other. Float it atop drink. Balance other bell pepper ring on rim of glass.
Dining and Cooking