An alcohol-free riff on a Mexican michelada, replacing the lager with ginger beer, as well as doing away with the tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce found in some recipes, yet still delivering that nice little endorphin rush you get from the original. A salt-and-chilli rim is nice, but not essential.
Madonna michelada
Serves 1
250ml ginger beer, the hotter, the better
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and chilli, to rim the glass – if you want to be flash, blitz up a poblano or chipotle, otherwise use ordinary chilli powder (optional)
Tabasco, to taste
1 sprig fresh mint, to garnish (optional)
Pour the ginger beer and lime juice into a tall glass (rimmed with salt and chilli, if you like), throw in a few ice cubes, then add the Tabasco – start with around a dozen drops, stir, then add more if you’d like to ramp up the heat. Garnish with mint, if you like, and serve.
• Kate Hawkings, author of Aperitif (Quadrille, £16.99)
