Tim Rita is a fixture at Hawaii and national cocktail competitions, where he has won or placed highly with his inspired original creations. Spend a few hours at the Halekulani’s Lewers Lounge with Tim behind the bar and you’ll be dazzled by his skills at matching fresh Hawaii-grown produce (pineapple, lilikoi, guava, etc.) with just about any type of spirit. He gets seriously fresh with his Island Lava cocktail, too, combining tequila with the light sweetness of lilikoi syrup, the spice of homemade Hawaiian chili pepper-infused simple syrup and fresh calamansi juice. A black sea salt rim adds a crisp kick to accompany the sip, and if pondered long enough, begins to look a lot like lava rock.

2 oz. reposado tequila
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Hawaiian chili pepper-infused simple syrup (or substitute: habanero)
Splash of lilikoi (passion fruit) syrup
3 or 4 calamansi, cut in halves (or substitute: two 1/8 wedges fresh lime)
Black sea salt

Muddle both syrups and calamansi halves in the mixing glass of a Boston shaker.

Add tequila and ice, cover shaker and shake.

Rim edge of a martini glass or old fashioned glass with black sea salt.

Double strain into black sea salt-rimmed glass.

Hawaiian chili pepper-infused simple syrup:
Combine 3/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add two slightly bruised Hawaiian chili peppers then stir and let cool. Refrigerate for a day or two, tasting occasionally to determine heat. When heat is satisfactory to your taste, strain the syrup into another container, making sure chili peppers and seeds are strained out.





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