WATERMELON CAIPIRINHA

WATERMELON CAIPIRINHA

½ lime, quartered

2 teaspoons sugar

2 ounces cachaca

1 cup watermelon pieced, pureed in a blender

The CAIPIRINHA is known as the Spanish margarita and is the national cocktail of Brazil. It is also known as my one of my BFF’s favorite cocktails. Since today is her birthday — Happy Birthday Stephanie! — I had to celebrate with a CAIPIRINHA cocktail. Making it was a little involved, but also fun. I first took a lime, quartered it and put half of it into a cocktail shaker. I then added sugar to the shaker and muddled it with the lime. I put some watermelon into a blender and purreed, then put that into the cocktail shaker as well. Lastly, I added the cachaca, a sugar cane rum from Brazil. I had a little trouble finding cachaca in the liquor store, but then I found it with the help of the manager, hidden behind other rums. After giving the cocktail shaker some hard shakes, I strained it all into a tall glass.

Both Steph and Hubby have had a real-deal CAIPIRINHA in Brazil. Steph lives eight hours away and, sadly, that prevented her from trying my CAIPIRINHA, but Hubby was here of course. He said the one he had in Brazil was very different than this one. In Brazil, they use a key lime, which is native to Southern climates. Key limes have a more sweet and distinctive flavor. My CAIPIRINHA was very sweet, so I can only imagine how syrupy they are during Carnival in Rio. I could easily see drinking several sugary CAIPIRINHA cocktails as I partied until dawn though. The watermelon added some nice flavor and I’d like to try this cocktail with other fruits in the future. I’ll definitely be making one for Steph next time I see her. The CAIPIRINHA doesn’t replace the American margarita for me, but when looking for something different, I say “Nos e’ que bebemos!”

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie