i'm on fire

2 oz Mezcal (Covite)
1 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Honey 1:1 Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Cholula Hot Sauce (Sriracha)

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with ancho chili (cayenne) powder and a pineapple leaf (omit). Two Tuesday ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across the I'm on Fire by New York City bartender Sarah Morrissey as her answer to a spicy Margarita that was published in Punch. The Punch article had no date attached, but I was able to find references on the web to as early as 2022 for this possibly Bruce Springsteen-inspired number, and this one joins Sarah's Greyfriar (that was published in Amanda Schuster's New York Cocktails book) on the blog. Since the recipe came across like a Bone Crusher gussied up with honey and pineapple juice, I was ready to give this one a whirl. Here, the I'm on Fire lit up the senses with a chili pepper, vegetal, and smoke aroma. Next, pineapple, honey, and lime notes on the sip were converted into mezcal, pepper spice, and honey flavors on the swallow.