So, I’m eating leftover tuna casserole and listening to “the coldest you’ve ever been” stories on CBC Radio while I type these deep thoughts. Suddenly I feel more Canadian than I have in a long time. And to paraphrase some lyrics from one of my favourite Canadian singer/songwriters, Kathleen Edwards, “I’ve been thinking ’bout drinking halfway though the day”. I’ve opted for a wholesome glass of 1% milk to accompany my lunch but there just might be a cocktail in my not-so-distant future.
Ah, winter! The real season for pickling.
Instead of making a new year’s resolution I’m taking the lead from my friend Stacey who, instead of making a resolution to say, quit smoking, she chooses a word to guide her through the coming year. Last year’s word was liberate, so my friend got to work and liberated herself from a job she didn’t enjoy; an apartment she grew out of and a few extra pounds she grew into. So, my word for 2009 (with the help of Stacey) is restraint.
I’m a bit of a hedonist (if you haven’t guessed already) and nothing makes me happier than feeding my habits, be they of the food and drink type, or otherwise (I’ll let you guess the spectrum). What I’m trying for the year ahead is to show some restraint when feeding the hedonist side of my personality. Eat a little less, smoke a little less and, um, drink a little less. So far, so bad. Hence the theme of this post: delicious cocktails you should enjoy NOW!
Screw restraint, momma needs a drink.
My drink of choice during the holidays was the Caipirinha; a truly simple muddled bevvy comprised of raw sugar (or brown), lime and cachaca. Cachaca is Brazilian rum, distilled from sugar cane but with a distinct flavour that falls somewhere between tequila and white rum. Considered Brazil’s national cocktail, it’s easy to see how this drink has caught on in that country and is gaining momentum in Canada. It’s delicious, easy to make and cachaca is becoming widely available in North America. Look for it in the rum section of your local booze shop.
For the perfect Caipirinha cut half a lime into four quarters and place into the bottom of rocks glass with one to two teaspoons of raw sugar. Crush the lime and sugar with the end of a wooden spoon or with a muddler (blunt-ended wooden tool) squeezing out the lime juice and releasing the essential oils in the rind. Cover with as much crushed ice as the glass will hold and pour over one and a half ounces of cachaca. Stir and enjoy.
Because this drink doesn’t get diluted with mix you might find the first sip a little potent. Don’t fret my friend. Hold the glass in your hand, allow the ice to melt slightly then take another sip. It slowly, but surely, turns into one of the most enjoyable, and drinkable, cocktails this side of Rio.
Damn, just writing that made me thirsty. I’m off to the market to pick up a bag of limes. While I’m sipping my Caipirinha perhaps I’ll think of a new word to guide me though 2009. Something a little more hedonistic than restraint.
Was liberate YOUR word last year? If not, you should start there. More flexibility -- you can actually liberate yourself from hedonism for short breaks, you see. *grin*
ReplyDeleteJanine