Spicy Thai Ginger Margarita

This is a recipe for a unique margarita that contains Thai pepper-infused tequila. The final drink has a sharp and spicy kick, and it tastes great on a warm summer evening. It takes awhile to prepare both the tequila and the ginger-lime syrup but it is worth the wait. A simpler alternative is to replace the ginger-lime syrup with your favorite margarita mix. I found this recipe on a blog called Food & Love.

Ingredients

For the Thai pepper infused tequila:

• 750 mL 100% blue agave blanco tequila
• 8 dried red Thai chili peppers

For the ginger-lime syrup:

• 1 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
  
• 1 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
  
• 1/3 pound ginger, peeled and thinly-sliced

For assembling:

• 2 ounces (2 shots) thai pepper infused tequila
• 1/2 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 5 teaspoons ginger lime syrup
• 1 lime wedge, for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the tequila by cutting the peppers lengthwise and removing their seeds. (Make sure not to touch your eyes for at least a day afterward. You've been warned.) Drop the peppers into the bottle of tequila -- draining some tequila as needed to make room -- and store for one to three days. Taste once daily and remove the peppers once the tequila is hot enough. This bottle of tequila will keep indefinitely in a cool, dark place.
2. Prepare the ginger-lime syrup by bringing the lime juice to a boil. Add the sugar and ginger slices and continue boiling until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Lower heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a blender, purée, and then push ginger through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container. This creates one cup of syrup, and it keeps for a week in the refrigerator.
3. Now assemble the drink. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the infused tequila, lime juice, and ginger-lime syrup. Shake and then pour into glasses filled with ice cubs. Garnish with lime wedges.
   

Makes approximately 8 drinks. Drink up.