I was in a club some months back, and I heard a bartender talking about the negative effect of "Sex and the City" on the cosmopolitan — a venerable cocktail whose popularity was re-energized in the past decade by its recurring presence on the HBO hit, which lives on for faggots and shopaholics everywhere on DVD, in syndication and very soon in movie theaters.
The bartender had some customers earlier in the day who complained about the color of their cosmo. Apparently, the show's version of the drink was a deeper red than the pale pink the bartender had prepared. Of course, a bottom-line bar owner would have appreciated this concern — as the red version has more cranberry and less alcohol — but not the devoted mixologist. He and I know the drink isn't supposed to be fruit punch.
A classic cosmo shouldn't mask the taste of alcohol. This is a case where you want to go for premium ingredients since there is not much mixer. Absolut Mandarin and Stoli Ohranj are good for most mixed drinks calling for orange vodka, but I go for Grey Goose l'Orange when making a cosmo. You can use regular or citrus vodka, but I like how orange vodka mixes with the cranberry, lime and orange liqueur. This is also a case where you should opt for Cointreau over plain triple sec. This is an easy cocktail to whip up when you have a lot of guests, and it's quite forgiving for an experienced mixer.
According to "Cocktail: The Drink Bible for the 21st Century," an excellent guide to classic mixed drinks by Paul Harrington and Laura Moorhead, the credit for the first cosmo most likely goes to the "gay community in Provincetown, Massachusetts" (hmmm, as opposed to the Provincetown straight community?) This makes sense since the drink itself is a direct descendant of the Cape Cod, which is served on the rocks.
To those who dismiss it as a girlie drink (and mention "Sex and the City"), you can point out that TV tough guy MacGyver also apparently enjoyed this beverage, as did late LSD aficionado and gun enthusiast Hunter S. Thompson. And I would guess their versions didn't end up looking like a plasma bag at the blood bank.
So, no matter how red those cosmos are when "Sex and the City: The Movie" comes out in May, you must honor your gay alcoholic forefathers and instead think pink.
Recipe
2 1/2 oz. parts Grey Goose l'Orange vodka (citrus and regular vodka will work, too)
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. lime (about half a life)
Recipe
2 1/2 oz. parts Grey Goose l'Orange vodka (citrus and regular vodka will work, too)
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. lime (about half a life)
splash or two of cranberry juice
Serve in: Chilled cocktail glass
To assemble: Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the shaker becomes too cold to hold. Strain the contents into a cocktail glass.
Garnish: lime wheel or lemon twist
Serve in: Chilled cocktail glass
To assemble: Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the shaker becomes too cold to hold. Strain the contents into a cocktail glass.
Garnish: lime wheel or lemon twist
Cheers!
1 comment:
I was unaware that Hunter preferred cosmos. He is probably sitting with Hemingway, Chekhov, and Shakespeare drinking one with his cigarette in its holder arguing over who is going to outshine them down here, like a cosmic "American Idol".lbya
Post a Comment