Caipirinha - Brazilian National Drink

Close friends of mine are aware of the fact that when I begin suffering from human warmth depravation I pack my bags and go to Brazil. As good as I feel when I arrive in Rio and hang out with friends and family, enjoying amazing beaches, stuffing my face with bolinhos de bacalhau (cod fritters), and getting toasted on caipirinhas, the unanticipated time to leave is something that I have to deal with, and once I get home, it takes a little while to get that whole fever out of my body… Thanks to the internet, I can browse around for a couple of days, manage my descent, and ease into my routine… On that note, while cruising around, I stumbled on a Blog called “John in Brazil.” The post was about Buzios, and anything related to the Lakes Region is right up my alley. But what I thought was really funny was the way the blogger summarized the caipirinha, “Tasty, by deadly.” I think he nailed it… LOL! So here's the inspiration for this post: "How to make a Caipirinha." :) Don't be fool! It's sweet, but it'll knock you out...

XOXOXO,
Cheers!

Caipirinha Recipe
by Irohner

*Cachaca (You may substitute with aguardiente)
* Limes
* Superfine sugar
* Crushed ice
* A "lowball", "rocks" or "Old-Fashioned" glass
* A pestle (from a mortar and pestle, or something similar) for the muddling

Preparation:

* Cut the ends off of the lime and discard.

* Cut the lime in half lengthwise and cut out the white pith in the middle.

* Cut the lime in half, and cut one half of the lime into four wedges and place in the glass. If your lime is small, you will need to add more lime to the glass.

* Add one to three tablespoons of sugar. The amount of sugar depends on your personal taste as well as the size of the lime you are using.

* Use the pestle to "muddle" the limes and sugar together. Basically, you want to crush the limes so that they mix in well with the sugar. Be careful not to break the skin of the lime. When you've gotten all of the juice out of the lime, you're done.

* Pack crushed ice in the glass all the way to the top.

* Add cachaca all the way to the top of the glass. (It's really only about 2 oz.)

* Use a larger glass or bottom of a cocktail shaker and put it over the top of your drink. Pick up with two hands and shake very well for at least 15 seconds.

* Garnish with a wedge or slice of lime.

* Drink...and enjoy the best caipirinha!

PS: A Caipirinha made with vodka is called "Caipiroska." A Caipirinha made with white rum, such as 151, is called "Caipiríssima."

Drink responsibly.