I have a friend who has great success growing peppers in her garden each year. She’s always looking for new ways to make use of her crop. Last year she started making cayenne pepper tequila and this year, I planted cayennes just so I could make a batch of my own.

First, she roasts about ten peppers in the oven and puts them directly in the tequila. They crack open the bottle after about a week for some margaritas with a burn. (Warning: the heat continues to intensify over time.)

My friend and her husband have also experimented with other pepper-flavored tequilas, but say the cayennes impart the best flavor.

I’m keeping an eye on my cayenne bushes, waiting (forever!) for them to redden. Besides margaritas, I’m sure I’ll add the tequila to sauces, soups and the like. Oh, the possibilities…

Have you made any pepper-flavored tequila?

–by Jenny Turknett, Food and More blog