CAIPIRINHA

CAIPIRINHA
High-Octane Brazilian Cocktail (BRAZIL)

"Caipirinha literally means the 'little hillbilly.' The people who drink cachaca, the liquor in the drink, are considered hillbillies: rough uncultured people,” says Isabella Bravim. “Cachaça is very strong. Like tequila, it burns you on the way down. Caipirinha, with its sugar and crushed ice, is a softer, but still potent, drink."

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CAIPIRINHA High-Octane Brazilian Cocktail

Cook's Notes: Margarita fans will line up at the blender for seconds of these lime-infused libations. But bartender beware they are as potent as they are tasty. The main ingredient is cachaga, a type of Brazilian rum that can be found in Portuguese/Brazilian neighborhoods in urban areas like Miami and Newark. Cachaça comes in two varieties, silver and gold (which are interchangeable in this concoction) and tastes like a cross between rum and eau-de-vie.

Serves 8

  • 8 limes
  • 2 cups cachaça, light rum, or vodka
  • 1 cup superfine sugar
  • Crushed ice

1. Roll the limes on a work surface, pressing hard to bruise them slightly so they release more juice. Halve and squeeze 6 of the limes; you should have about 3/4 cup juice. Halve the remaining 2 limes.

2. In a blender, combine the lime halves, lime juice, cachaca, and sugar. Blend until the lime halves are pureed, about 1 minute.

3. Pour the mixture into glasses filled with crushed ice and serve immediately.

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