palabras NAOMI BARIA

The Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail. And the land of buxom brunettes, itsy-bitsy bikinis and unbridled sexcapades can’t be wrong. (Although the drink’s whopping 30-50% alcohol content might explain the above attributes). The caipirinha is often compared to a mojito, as both require a bit of lime muddling for the final product. But, unlike its Cuban cousin, the caipirinha is a blend of sweet and tangy, with an aftertaste that both warms and bites.

The word “caipirinha” literally translates to “a hillbilly woman,” which isn’t the best image conjured when bellying up to the bar. But like any well-mixed spirit, a couple caipirinhas can transform any baldheaded Britney into a sumptuous Scarlett.

Its main mojo comes from cachaça, a Brazilian liquor distilled from sugarcane juice and an addictive nectar of which the average Brazilian drinks three gallons each year.

Being in New York, it’s often hard to remember a world exists beyond the outer-boroughs. We’ll pay a high premium to drink in the exotic and other-worldly, as long as it’s within cabbing distance. Which is what’s driving this fabu drink into such lofty, hard-to-reach spots like Gramercy Park Hotel, the Brandy Library and Freemans.

In these venues, the spirit of choice happens to be Sagatiba, the Grand Marnier of cachaças, distilled from handpicked sugarcane with a clean fruity aroma and body that has the dexterity to mix well outside the caipirinha mainstay. A far cry from the Pitú brand usually served at many other bars in the East Village or Brooklyn.

Caipirinha Recipe:

- Old-fashioned glass
- 2-3 limes
- 1-3 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 ½ ounces of cachaça (Sagatiba preferred)
- Ice Cubes

Cut limes into wedges. Muddle wedges and sugar with a pestle inside the old-fashioned glass. Add ice and cachaça. Stir and serve. (Makes one serving).

If you’re an incurable herb and can’t find any cachaça around, feel free to substitute it with vodka for a caipiroska, rum for a caipirissima, or sake and tangerines instead of limes for a caipisakê.

Cheers!