Spicy Fifty
{{Short description|Cocktail comprising vodka, elderflower cordial, lime juice, and honey syrup}}
{{Infobox cocktail
| iba = yes
| source =
| sourcelink = spicy-fifty
| name = Spicy Fifty
| image = Spicy Fifty.jpg
| caption = Spicy Fifty
| type = mixed| flaming =
| vodka = yes
| served =
| garnish = Red chili pepper
| drinkware = cocktail
| ingredients =
- 50 ml Vodka Vanilla
- 15 ml Elderflower Cordial
- 15 ml Fresh Lime Juice
- 10 ml Monin Honey Syrup
- 2 thin Slices Red Chili Pepper
| prep = Add ingredients to shaker, shake with ice, double strain into chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with red chili pepper.
| notes =
| footnotes =
}}
A Spicy Fifty is a cocktail containing vanilla-flavored vodka with elderflower cordial, lime juice, honey syrup, and red chili pepper.{{cite web | title=Spicy Fifty | website=iba-world.com | date=2021-04-29 | url=https://iba-world.com/spicy-fifty/ | access-date=2023-10-05}}{{cite web | title=Cocktails and Drinks — Spicy Fifty | website=Salvatore Calabrese | date=2020-12-21 | url=https://salvatore-calabrese.co.uk/cocktails-and-drinks-spicy-fifty | access-date=2023-10-05}}{{cite web |date=2022-03-01 |title=Spicy Fifty |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/spicy-fifty |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=TasteAtlas}} To prepare, the ingredients are added to a cocktail shaker and shaken with ice. The chili optionally can be muddled in the base of the shaker.{{cite web |date=2017-08-22 |title=Spicy Fifty Cocktail Recipe |url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/3611/spicy-fifty |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=Difford's Guide}} More chili can be added to make it spicier.{{cite book |last=Gavish |first=S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-T7DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA33 |title=Las Vegas Cocktails: Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Sin City |publisher=Cider Mill Press |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-60433-957-4 |series=City Cocktails |page=33 |access-date=2023-10-05}} The drink is then double-strained into a chilled cocktail glass. A whole pepper is used as garnish sitting at the rim of the glass.{{cite book |last=Calabrese |first=S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JFy1EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT257 |title=Cocktails by Flavor: More than 390 Recipes to Tempt the Taste Buds |publisher=Union Square & Company |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-4027-9387-5 |page=257 |access-date=2023-10-05}} The drinker should be cautioned against eating the pepper.
The Spicy Fifty cocktail was added to the list of IBA official cocktails in 2020 in the new era drink category.{{cite book |last=Manzo |first=L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xSfEzQEACAAJ |title=IBA 2020. The New Cocktails. The Official List |publisher=Sandit Libri |year=2020 |isbn=978-88-6928-378-9 |page= |access-date=2023-10-08}}{{cite book |last=Mastellari |first=F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HdgnEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT182 |title=I cocktail mondiali: Tutti i cocktail ufficiali IBA e i grandi esclusi |publisher=Hoepli |year=2021 |isbn=978-88-360-0414-0 |page=182 |language=it |access-date=2023-10-08}}{{cite book |last=Baiguera |first=G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_bslEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT6 |title=Manuale del barman |last2=Caselli |first2=U. |publisher=Giunti |year=2021 |isbn=978-88-09-95805-0 |page=6 |language=it |access-date=2023-10-08}}
It was created by beverage expert Salvatore Calabrese, and named after the bar FIFTY in London, where Calabrese formerly worked before it closed.{{cite web |last=Wolff |first=Natasha |date=2015-01-09 |title=Spicy Fifty Cocktail Recipe |url=https://dujour.com/life/spicy-fifty-cocktail-recipe/ |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=DuJour}}{{cite book |last=Calabrese |first=S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ily1EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT228 |title=Classic Cocktails |publisher=Union Square & Company |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-4027-9391-2 |page=228 |access-date=2023-10-05}}{{cite book |last=Евсевский |first=Ф. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XTj0CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA360 |title=Библия бармена. Всё о напитках. Барная культура. Коктейльная революция. 3-е издание |publisher=ЛитРес |year=2015 |isbn=978-5-457-92519-9 |page=360 |language=ru |access-date=2023-10-08}} It is described as sweet with a spicy finish that pairs well with Asian fusion cuisine.
Salvatore Calabrese created the cocktail in 2004-2005 as his signature drink for the first menu of the bar FIFTY that opened in February 2005.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wRotAQAAMAAJ |title=DI, Drinks International |publisher=Practical Press |year=2010 |page=15 |access-date=2023-10-08}} It is also said to have been created to commemorate his birthday.{{cite web |date=2012-03-12 |title=Planet Dailies and Mixology101 Opens Today + A Recipe for the Spicy Fifty |url=https://www.laweekly.com/planet-dailies-and-mixology101-opens-today-a-recipe-for-the-spicy-fifty/ |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=LA Weekly}} Calabrese was influenced by Jean-George Vongerichten, a Michelin-starred chef, who made dishes where chili was a prominent ingredient. This was during an era where vanilla-flavored vodkas were trendy.
Variations include the MyZo cocktail (which uses lemon juice instead of lime juice and no honey syrup) and Fuego Manzana No.2 (which uses tequila instead of vodka and uses apple schnapps and apple juice instead of lime juice).