Cosmopolitan - a Kamikazee in disguise

The cosmopolitan is usually served in a martini glass. Very often is mistaken as a type of martini. A Cosmopolitan is basically a Kamikazee cocktail with a splash of Cranberry Juice for colouring purposes.

Suggestions:
- Cosmopolitans should be of a very light pinkish tint. It´s a light colored drink.
- Flamed Orange Peel is not a must, a Lime peel twisted over the drink definitively is.
- Lime Wedge or a Lime Wheel is traditionally the garnish

Cosmopolitan Royal*
* I use the term Royal to describe cocktails prepared with top shelf alcohol

1 1/2 oz Citrus Vodka
1/4 oz Grand Manier
Tea Spoon of Rose´s Lime Juice
Splash of Cranberry Juice

Cosmopolitan

2 oz vodka/Citrus Vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau/Good Triple Sec
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Cranberry Juice

Cosmopolitan CBGB*
* CBGB Stands for Cheap But Good Booze

2 oz vodka
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup*
3/4 oz Cranberry Juice


A lime wedge is always used to garnish.  Traditionally a coin sized piece of orange should be "flamed" across the top of the drink. This coats the drink with a slick of citrus oil.
*Everybody should learn how to make simple syrup if they want to prepare their own drinks.

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.

 

Manhattan - Perfect, Modern and other variations

A Manhattan is a combination of whiskey (as the main spirit), Sweet vermouth, and bitters. Stirred and garnish with a Maraschino cherry. You may find many recipes where the ingredients might get a little fancy and where the proportions change. Mixing drinks just like cooking, varies according to the ingredients. With that said, I am posting the recipe for a traditional Manhattan,

Suggestions:
- Rye Whiskey is preferred over others, but others like Bourbon, Canadian, Blended, or even Tennessee can be used.
- Some people choose to have them on the rocks and they might be poor on a low ball glass. That´s O.K.
- Be creative. Dare to switch the Angostura Bitters (With Gentian roots and other herbal flavors) for Orange Bitters (Perhaps doing your own bitters?), Peychaud´s Bitters (Other Gentian root based concoction but more floral in its aroma).
- Vermouth is used in Manhattans because the properties found in "Digestifs" (Post Dinner Spirits), therefore using amari, brandy, grappa, herbal liqueur, limoncello, ouzo, or even tequila may not be out of the question. Just experiment before hand, you don´t want to surprise negatively your guests.

MANHATTAN TRADITIONAL RECIPES

Manhattan
IBA approved recipe

2 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Canadian Whiskey works too)
1 oz Sweeth Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish

Stirred over ice, strained, poor on chilled glass,straight up (without ice).

Perfect Manhattan
1 1/2 oz Whiskey
1 1/2 oz Sweeth Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish


Stirred over ice, strained, poor on chilled glass,straight up (without ice).

Traditional Manhattan
2 oz Whiskey
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 oz DryVermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish




MANHATTAN VARIATIONS

Rob Roy
A Manhattan made with Scotch
2 1/2 oz Scotch Whiskey
1 oz Sweeth Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry as garnish

Dry Manhattan

A Manhattan made with Dry Vermouth and a Twist
2 1/2 oz Scotch Whiskey
1 oz Dry Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Lemon Twisted over drink and used as garnish

Blackberry Ginger Manhattan

(Look for September´s blog on syrups)

1 3/4 oz american whiskey
1/3 oz italian vermouth
1/3 oz blackberry liqueour
1/3 oz ginger syrup
dash of blackberry bitters
shattered blackberries

Swirl with ice to chill, pour into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a maraschino cherries or berries