The first sunset of summer.

When things go according to plan, or even better. You don’t need to carry a jacket because the weather hits perfection at night—not windy, but maybe a light breeze, enough of an excuse to move a little closer to that somebody. Maybe you’ve been running the streets all day—ah, youth. If you’re 30 and over you’ve triple confirmed the one party you will be at for the day, you weren’t planning on staying out too late because it’ll cut into time for your skincare routine, but everything is going just right and it feels worth it to save your papaya enzyme mask for later in the week. The sun is consistent now. You can relax. You can be present. You can have fun. And, you know what? You never needed permission to, anyway.

Makes 1 cocktail

1 1-inch chunk of green bell pepper
1 ounce fresh orange juice
1 ounce spiced rum
1 ounce dark rum
¾ ounces Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum
¼ cup fresh papaya chunks, muddled
¾ ounces banana liqueur (I used Tempus Fugit Creme de Banane)
½ ounce coconut milk Angostura bitters, to top
edible flowers, for garnish

Muddle green pepper with orange juice in shaker. Add rum, papaya juice, banana liqueur and coco cream. Shake well with ice. Strain over cobbled ice, tiny cubes or crushed ice in a tall glass. Top with several dashes of Angostura bitters, to your preference. Garnish with citrus wheels or peels and fresh flowers.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2021 issue as part of a larger story on Summer Cocktails.