Since the beginning of the craft cocktail renaissance, there's been a creative explosion of new drinks. If you're dizzy with the burden of too much choice, there's nothing wrong with sticking to the classics, and then adding a few twists. How does a drink become a classic? Experts agree it's not just about great taste, they're also simple to make and use ingredients that are easy to find. This classic with a twist – the Bloody Mary Verde – is from Cocktail Codex, named one of the best books of the year by the Chicago Tribune and winner of the James Beard Award for "Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book". Cheers.

• 5 oz Verde Mix
• 1 ½ oz Jalapeño-infused Vodka 
• 1 oz fresh lime juice291
• Kosher salt, and chile powder, for rimming
• Lime wedge
• 1 cherry tomato and 1 lemon wedge on a skewer, for garnish

For Verde Mix:

• 1200g cucumber
• 1000g tomatillo juice
• 650g green bell pepper juice
• 500g fresh pineapple juice
• 250g fresh lime juice
• 150g salt solution (75g water + 25g kosher salt)
• 25g serrano chile, seeds removed
• 15g garlic 

For Jalapeño-Infused Vodka:

• 4 jalapeños
• 1 (1-liter) bottle Grey Goose Vodka

• On a small plate, mix equal parts of kosher salt and chile powder.
• Rub the lime wedge along the upper ¼ inch of the glass, halfway around the circumference, then roll the wet portion in the salt mixture.
• Fill the glass with ice cubes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir a few times.
• Garnish with the cherry tomato and lemon wedge.

Verde Mix:

• Peel, chop, and puree the cucumber in a blender. Combine the cucumber puree with the juices, salt solution, serrano chile, and garlic. Blend until smooth.
• Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 1 week).

Jalapeño-Infused Vodka:

• Have the jalapeños lengthwise, then scrape the seeds and membranes into the container. Add the flesh of 2 jalapeños (reserve the flesh of the other 2 for another use).
• Add the vodka and stir to combine. Let stand a room temperature for up to 20 minutes, tasting often to monitor the heat level.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth, then funnel back into the vodka bottle and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 1 month).

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