Sauce Packet Cocktails

Courtesy Morgan Weber, co-owner/beverage director, Eight Row Flint, Houston

“More times than not, sweeter drinks can benefit from small additions of salt, to help balance and bring out the flavors in a more profound way,” says Morgan Weber, co-owner/beverage director of Eight Row Flint in Houston. He adds two dashes of soy sauce to this mule variation, which he calls “deceptively simple” and “extremely satisfying.” One soy sauce packet will make about three cocktails.

Courtesy Ezra Star, general manager, Drink, Boston

Ezra Star was inspired to make her spicy mustard cocktail by one of her favorite childhood snacks. “I was kind of a bizarre kid and loved to put mustard on oranges,” says Star, general manager at Drink in Boston. “My favorite way to use orange is with Tequila, so it seemed like a perfect pairing.”

Courtesy Casey Robison, beverage director, Heavy Restaurant Group, Seattle

Here’s one more use for a packet of Cholula  hot sauce: to accent a bright green sip from Casey Robison, beverage director of Heavy Restaurant Group in Seattle.

“Being a big fan of Cholula hot sauce, and a big fan of mezcal, I figured they would go well together,” says Robison. “The cilantro, citrus and cucumber balance out the heat and viscosity of the hot sauce nicely. It’s perfect for a warm summer day.”

Courtesy Jesse Card, general manager, Bit House Saloon, Portland, Oregon

How often do you actually use the peachy-colored sauce packets from Chinese takeout? This recipe, from Jesse Card, general manager of Bit House Saloon in Portland, Oregon, goes “full tiki-style,” with about a packet of duck sauce per cocktail. It will give you plenty of reason to use every last one.

“I love the way that pineapple and ginger are natural complements to the duck sauce,” says Card. “But the big caraway and anise notes from the aquavit really carry the drink in a whole new direction. I named it after my favorite combo plate at my local Chinese haunt.”