My family and I had a quick vacation in Napa, CA this Summer. While we were there, we had a fun night out, with our great friends, sans kids. After a delicious dinner at Grace’s Table, we walked over to Angele. This was the restaurant Dominic and I shared our very first drink, of our very first date together, ten years ago. I felt nostalgic, as we sat down at the bar.

My dear friend ordered a Ruby Red Devil, and let me taste it. It was slightly sweet,  a touch spritzy, and citrusy with some warm heat in the finish. It was delicious, so I ordered my own. It went down quickly, and I enjoyed it very much. When we got ready to leave, I asked the bartender for the recipe.

Matt Jerome, the bartender, and the man who invented this drink, was lovely enough to share his drink recipe with me. Last night I made my version of Angele’s Ruby Red Devil. I did not have grapefruit soda, so I used fresh squeezed pink grapefruit juice and a splash of club soda. I also added a bit more lime juice, and made my red chili agave, with a touch more heat.

We made BLT’s for dinner. Dominic used a mortar and pestle to create some garlicy pesto out of fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, almonds, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. We slathered the pesto on toasted slices of my homemade sourdough bread, and topped them with some juicy heirloom tomatoes from our garden. Then we added crispy, thick slab, pepper bacon, and some organic spring mix and spinach.

We ate the succulent BLT’s hungrily, and I sipped my Ruby Red Devil happily. I hope you make, drink, and enjoy this cocktail, as much as I do.  What is your favorite cocktail?

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