Caipirinha

The caipirinha is the national drink of Brazil. Though it is a simple cocktail, the full lime tang, which can only be extracted by muddling, and the unique flavor of Brazilian cachaça make it truly distinctive. And though at first sip the drink has very concentrated flavors, the Brazilian sun quickly melts the ice, tempering the drink and making it dangerously refreshing. Cachaça, which is the national liquor of Brazil and an absolute requirement for this drink, is distilled from fermented sugar cane juice, not (as is the case with its vulgar cousin rum), from molasses. Making a caipirinha by substituting rum or any other spirit would be unthinkable. (If you substitute vodka, you must call it a caipiroska, but trust me: finding a Brazilian cachaça will reward your efforts.)

Angela and I enjoyed a caipirinha every day on the beach in Brazil. We worked up a thirst playing paddle ball in the sunshine, and though ordering a second was always tempting, these drinks pack a punch so we generally abstained. (Especially after watching my step-father develop a case of the gout shortly after falling in love with the drink.)

Although only one percent of the cachaça that is produced in Brazil is exported, fortune smiles upon us and several liquor stores in Santa Fe stock it. Since our time in Brazil, caipirinhas have remained a summertime staple in our house. Each sunset you can usually find us in our courtyard, rattling the ice in our glasses as we contemplate making another.

Ingredients:

· 2 T sugar

· 2 measures cachaça (a Brazilian sugarcane spirit)

· 6 key limes, quartered or 2-3 common limes, cut into eighths

· Lots of ice

Directions:

1. Muddle cachaça, ½ of the limes and sugar with a mortar and pestle until lime juice is released

2. Pour into an ice-filled glass with remaining ½ of the sliced, unmuddled limes

3. Stir to mix the limes with the ice

4. Allow the ice to melt for a few minutes and then serve

*A measure is a standard shot glass: 1 ½ ounces