It never hurts to think ahead. Warmer months are just around the cor­ner. If you’re any­thing like me you’ve prob­a­bly had your fair share of bour­bon. Not that bour­bon will ever be replaced, but it’s about time to start think­ing rum drinks. This red bell pep­per infused rum is quite pos­si­bly the eas­i­est and one of the most reward­ing infu­sions you can make. It’ll only take 24 hours to infuse and the result is a culi­nary epiphany that’ll have your guests pleas­antly surprised.

Photo by Kitchen Konfidence

Recipe

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 liter golden rum (I use Flor de Cana)

1. Remove the stems, seeds and ribs from the pepper.
2. Slice the pep­per into long, thin slices.
3. Place the pep­per slices into a large, air tight con­tainer and pour in the rum.
4. Seal and store in a cool, dark spot for 24 hours. 
5. Strain the infused rum into a ster­il­ized bot­tle. 

I use this rum in a cock­tail I cre­ated for the Nicaraguan restau­rant La Finca y El Mar called El Come­di­ante. But feel free to get cre­ative and exper­i­ment. That’s half the fun.