Monday, August 23, 2010

Caipirinhas and Caipiroskas - Cachaça Everyone


Cachaça is a brasilian type of aguardiente, which means is distilled between 29 and 40 grades of alcohol. First fermented and then distilled, Aguardientes are inexpensive to produce and highly alcoholic.
Cachaça comes in two versions unaged (white) and aged (gold). White cachaça is cheaper since it does not need to be aged in barrels. White Cachaça is used to prepare caipirinhas.
Dark cachaça is aged in barrels ans usually drank straight up.

Traditional Caipirinha
Translates as "Peasant Girl".
1 Lime cut in chunks.Muddle in Rock Glass with 1 spoon full of sugar
Fill the Glass with Crushed Ice. 
Add 2 oz of Cachaca
Shake or Stir. Lime Wedge and short straws                                

Blackberry Caipirina
1/2 Lime cut in chunks and 3 Wild Blackberries
Muddle Lime and Blackberries in Rock Glass with 1 1/2 spoons full of sugar
Fill Glass with Crushed Ice. 
1 1/2 oz of Cachaca
Serve with short straws


Caipiroska
Caipirinha made with Vodka instead of Cachaca.
     1 Lime in chunks muddled with 1 Spoonfull of sugar
     Top with crushed ice on rock glass
     Add 2 oz of Cachaca White
     Shake or stir, top with a little Soda

While Caipirinhas made with Cachaca are seen as the drink of the lower-
classes, the Caipiroska is seen as fashionably exclusive due to its use of the
more expensive imported spirit, Vodka

Janeiro*
Honey Caipirinha

     2 oz Cachaca (sub: aguardiente)
     1/2 oz Honey or Honey Syrup
     1oz Fresh Lemon Juice
     Shake with Ice, and then strain into an Ice-filled Short Glass.


 

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