Caipirinha

Before jumping into some background on this surprisingly medicinal (not really, but we’ll get to why we used that adjective in a moment), we’d like to present to you a few other Cachaça cocktails: the Kiwi Caipirinha, the Strawberry Caipirinha, the Ashes to Ashes, the Strawberry Batida, and the Cachaca Batida. Alright, now how about this delicious Caipirinha cocktail recipe? Where was this delicious Cachaca cocktail first made? Brazil!! Maybe. Or maybe Portugal. Pretty much every aspect of the Caipirinha’s origin is debatable. The Caipirinha cocktail Wiki notes that “Although the real origin of the drink is unknown, one account says that it came about around 1918 in the region of Alentejo in Portugal, with a popular recipe made with lemon, garlic, and honey, indicated for patients with the Spanish flu.” TASTE Cocktails, on the other hand, says that the Caipirinha cocktail recipe is thought to have originated in Paraty, which is a small town “between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.” We don’t know which story is accurate, but we like how much Paraty sounds like “party,” so we’re going to go ahead and hope that that is indeed the location of origin for the Caipirinha. Regarding why the Caipirinha cocktail was invented, most sources seem to agree that it was initially used as a medicine. The Caipirinha cocktail Wiki notes that “one account says that it came about around 1918 in the region of Alentejo in Portugal, with a popular recipe made with lemon, garlic, and honey, indicated for patients with the Spanish flu.” TASTE Cocktails also supports this origin story, noting that the Caipirinha “was initially prepared as a medicine to ease the effects of the Spanish Flu towards the end of World War I.” (The original medicinal recipe was different than the Caipirinha cocktail we know today, with that first recipe calling for lemon, garlic, and honey.) Regardless of where the Caipirinha originated, it’s clearly become a Brazilian cocktail recipe. The Caipirinha cocktail Wiki points out that “The caipirinha is the strongest national cocktail of Brazil and is imbibed in restaurants, bars, and many households throughout the country.” Apparently the drink is becoming more popular worldwide however, thanks to the rising availability of “first-rate brands of cachaca outside of Brazil.” (That last quote comes from the Caipirinha Wiki too.) If you’re wondering what Cachaca is exactly, it’s somewhat like rum, but not exactly. While rum is made from molasses, Cachaca is made from straight sugarcane juice. G Adventures notes that “Cachaça is often confused with rum because both spirits are derived from sugar cane; nevertheless, they are surprisingly different.” It adds that “Rum is generally made from molasses, a dark-brown syrupy by-product created during the process of refining sugar [while] Cachaça, on the other hand, is made from the fresh-pressed juice of the sugarcane, called grape, and contains nothing else.” As a little side note, if you’re looking for more lime-flavored cocktails, you’ll want to check out some (or all) of these bad boys: the Lime Drop Martini, the Coconut Lime Frozen Margarita, the Lime Sherbet Margarita, the Lime Drop Shots, and the Cherry Lime Tequila. CAIPIRINHA 2 oz. (60ml) Cachaça 4 Lime Wedges 2 Tsp Sugar Crushed Ice Garnish: Sugar/Lime Wedge PREPARATION 1. Rim edge of serving glass with lime and sugar. 2. Drop lime wedges into base of glass and sprinkle over sugar. Muddle lightly. 3. Add crushed ice to glass and pour over cachaca. Stir lightly. 4. Garnish with a lime wedge. DRINK RESPONSIBLY!