The nice folks over at Leblon recently shipped Ms. S&C a bottle of cachaça. Cachaça, as you may already know, is the main spirit in latest and greatest muddled cocktail, the caipirinha. I’ve had cachaça, a sugar cane-derived spirit from Brazil, and caipirinhas before and really do find it a nice, less sweet, yet fun-because-it-is-muddled, alternative to the mojito. Especially if you are not in the mood for mint, and truth be told, I’m not always in the mood. (Of course, the mojito still reins supreme of muddled concoctions, Miss M!)
Mr. and Ms. S&C’s blackberry and lime caipirinhas
Mr. and Ms. S&C found the perfect occasion to pop open their bottle of Leblon cachaça. After a gorgeous weekend of perfect Spring weather and back-breaking yardwork, I placed steaks marinated in chimichurri on the grill, and served up a his and her version of the caipirinha. His version was traditional with lime only; hers was bright and fruity with blackberries. Both were equally refreshing and delicious and highly recommended. As mentioned before, juicy limes and crushed ice go a long way in elevating cocktails. Additionally, you’ll want to shake the ingredients well to fully incorporate the sugar. Lastly, my second caipirinha is always better than the first because I use the leftover limes and blackberries from the first drink and just add more.
The Caipirinha
makes one cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon superfine granulated sugar
- 1 lime quartered
- Blackberries (optional, but recommend 6 or more)
- 2 ounces cachaça, preferably Leblon
- Seltzer water
Directions
- In a mixing glass, sprinkle sugar over the limes (and blackberries)
- Muddle together until sugar is dissolved and lime juice is released
- Pour an almost-full old-fashioned glassful of crushed ice into the mixing glass
- Add cachaça and shake well to incorporate
- Pour mixture back into the old-fashioned glass
- Top with seltzer water
- Garnish with lime (and blackberries)
posted by Ms. S&C
Shoes & Cocktails 