the caipirinha

[Sean S.]

my oh my, nothing goes better with nice summer bbq than the brazilian national drink, the caipirinha.

You need 1 lime per drink
granulated sugar (1 use the Domino organic sugar. It's from Paraguay and I fine the crystal size is very similar to the sugar in Brazil)
ice
cachaca, which is a brazilian spirit distilled from sugar cane
lowball glasses

take the lime and slice off each end and then carefully slice as much of the skin and rind off as you can; this greatly reduces the bitterness. cut the lime into 8 chunks and place in lowball glass and then mash gently with a muddler. add 3 teaspoons of sugar and fill glass about halfway with cachaca and stir to mix. fill remainder of glass with ice, stir and enjoy.

Now since posting that, i've found that they are even better if you peel the skin off of the limes. just slice it off, and it takes a lot of the bitterness out.

enjoy!

(edited to add recipe)

 

[MattP]

Don't mean to go out of my way to dig up a real old thread, but I guess it's better than making a duplicate thread.

Like OP posted here, a caipirinha is a great summer drink to enjoy while out grilling or smoking. Cachaca might be a little difficult to find, but if you can, this is a drink worth trying!

 

[Len Dennis]

Apparently it's just (their version of) brandy.

Ontario liquid stores carry a Portuguese version called
ANTIQUA VSOP AGUARDENTE VINICA VELHA

 

[MattP]

Huh, guess I would have considered cachaca to be more in the line of rum.

 

[Alyssa H]

I have a friend who has been bringing cachaca back from brazil for me. The caipirinhas I have been making from this stuff are DA BOMB! Once tried the cachaca from BevMo and YUCK!

Cachaca is rum make from sugar cane juice.

 

[MattP]

There's one specialty food/beverage place I go to to get cachaca. It was about four years ago I first noticed they actually sold it, and this was after months of searching every specialty store I could think of. At first they carried two brands, but now are usually around six. One of these days I need to remember to ask them what caused them to actually expand their selection so much.

 

[Len Dennis]

Huh, guess I would have considered cachaca to be more in the line of rum.

Can't find that reference now (should've posted the link). All ref's go to rum now. Oh well.

 

[AmmyMorcle]

Caipirinha is nice drink. People like it while smoking.