Makes 4 cocktails

1 tablespoon toasted, super finely ground Szechwan peppercorns
2 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1 lemon with zest, minced
Water for 2 trays of ice
8 ounces (1 cup) Gosling's rum
24 ounces (3 cups) ginger ale (preferably Reed’s) or, alternatively, ginger syrup (recipe below) with sparkling water
1 lime, cut into wedges

To make the numbing cubes, fill ice cube trays 3/4 full with water. Pour that water into a large bowl with a spout (or a pitcher). Add the Szechwan peppercorns, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Stir to dissolve sugar and pour mixture into ice cube trays, taking care to evenly distribute the flavorings; freeze overnight. To assemble each drink: pour in 6 ounces ginger ale and 2 ounces of rum. Squeeze lime wedge over and drop wedge into drink. Add a handful of numbing cubes and enjoy!

Ginger Syrup

Makes about 4 cups

• 
  4 cups sugar
  2 cups fresh ginger, cut into 1/8-inch slices (about 2 large hands)
  2 cups water

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, ginger and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until syrupy and reduced by half, about 40 to 45 minutes. Strain ginger pieces out and reserve syrup.
To make ginger ale: Add about 2 tablespoons syrup to glass, top with sparkling water to taste, stir to combine.

Wine Notes

Chateau Ste Michelle 2006 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling
A dry, crisp, refreshing style of Riesling – nice fruit flavors and great acidity. This pairs very well with Asian food in general, but especially spicier foods like the Wok-Stirred Drunken Shrimp and Mango.


Gosling’s Old Rum
A smooth and complex aged rum with notes of smoke and vanilla. Great as a digestive after a meal of Szechwan Peppercorn and Rum dishes!


>>This recipe appears in Episode #506.

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