Salt and Smoke Margarita With Mezcal and Lemon

Paul H. Christian,YtC StudiosThis savory margarita lives up to its name: Smoky mezcal meets bright lemon and honey, with black pepper bringing gentle heat and briny Castelvetrano olives providing the salty finish. A drop of toasted sesame oil is optional, but adds another layer of nutty, roasty complexity.Recipe informationIngredientsKosher salt and freshly ground black pepperLemon wedge2brined green olives, such as Castelvetrano1oz. mezcal1oz. Cointreau1oz. fresh lemon juice1tsp. honey2dashes orange bittersToasted sesame oil, for drizzling (optional)Need to make a substitution?PreparationStep 1Pour some kosher salt onto a small plate; add a few cranks of black pepper and stir to combine. Rub lemon wedge lightly over rim of a rocks glass (reserve lemon wedge for garnish). Press rim of glass into salt-and-pepper mixture. Fill glass with coarsely cracked large ice cubes. Thread olives and lemon wedge onto a skewer; set aside.Step 2Combine 1 oz. mezcal, 1 oz. Cointreau, 1 oz. fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp. honey, and 2 dashes orange bitters in a cocktail shaker; season with 3 cranks of black pepper. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is very cold and frosty, 30 seconds. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into prepared glass. Season with a crank of black pepper and drizzle with toasted sesame oil (if using). Garnish with reserved skewer.Recipe notesBack to topTriangle