SEX OUTSIDE THE CITY
While
it remains to be seen whether or not the “Sex and the City” film
can do for overall vodka consumption what the movie “Sideways” did to
help promote the pouring of Pinot Noir, it is safe to say that a good
number of gals will be forgoing their chocolate martinis this summer in
favor of the Cosmopolitan.
Like anything else attached to humankind there is a bit of controversy
surrounding the origins of this cocktail. There most certainly is a New
York City connection in the creation of the Cosmo via the mixology
skills of bartender, author and tavern owner, Tony Cecchini. He is
credited with what has become the recognized standard international
recipe for the drink which uses Cointreau and fresh lime. Mr. Cecchini
developed his version based upon a drink popular in South Beach,
Florida that called for Absolut Citron to be mixed with a splash of
triple sec, Rose’s Lime, and cranberry juice.
It is also possible that the drink is of a Midwest lineage and is a
descendant of the venerable vodka gimlet, (vodka and Rose’s Lime
Juice). There are also claims that the drink had its roots among the
gay community of Provincetown, Massachusetts. This New England
association may have more to do with the use of cranberries. The
original Ocean Spray agricultural cooperative was founded in
Massachusetts, and the company brought their Cranberry Juice Cocktail
to market in 1976. The juice was mixed with vodka and sold in coastal
bars as the Cape Codder.
This bit of shared information is in keeping with one of the two edicts
that rule my life. The first being, “That you can’t know where you are
going until you know where you have been” and the second is, “Never
order a drink that you don’t know how to make.”
So here is the American standard recipe
for the Cosmopolitan:
1
oz vodka
½
oz triple sec
½
oz Rose’s Lime Juice
½
oz cranberry juice
Shake
vigorously in a cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass.
Garnish
with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass.
Additional
Possibilities: I personally prefer the use of Rose’s
Lime
Juice over fresh lime; but I will gladly defer to Mr. Cecchini’s call
on Cointreau instead of triple sec
|
You might also like to
experiment with the use of different flavored
vodkas. My favorites are Smirnoff Twist of Orange and Three Olives
Citrus.
Salute!
|