AltWeeklies Wire » Culture » Food+Drink

No Mo' Mojito

By Brian Lindamood
Columbus Alive | June 2, 2005
The trendy tipple of the last two summers, Ernest Hemingway’s beloved mojito, is in grave danger of drinking itself to death, a la the dearly departed cosmopolitan. (When Target starts selling powdered “mojito mix,” you know it’s over for the poor cocktail.) Perhaps it’s time to look even farther south of the border for this summer’s sensation. May I suggest a refreshing caipirinha, the national beverage of Brazil?

The caipirinha is made with cachaça, a Brazilian liquor that’s a kissing cousin of rum (rum is distilled from molasses, a byproduct of refined sugarcane; cachaça is distilled from fresh sugarcane). Pitú, the only brand that’s widely available in Ohio, goes for about $17 a liter. The only other ingredients are fresh lime, sugar and ice. Slice half a lime into quarters, drop it into a rocks glass, top with two teaspoons of sugar and muddle the hell out of it. Add two shots of cachaça, fill the glass with ice (crushed, if possible), stir and enjoy. It’s a strong drink, and the lime gives it some bite, but it’s delightfully crisp and thirst-quenching.

Since the caipirinha is tart instead of sweet, perhaps it will resist being turned into a syrupy mixer for the masses, which was the death knell for the mojito. (Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, Papa, it tolls for your favorite drink.) Then again, maybe we should start searching for the next hip potable, so we’re prepared with a replacement when Target rolls out its powdered caipirinha mix next summer.
Tags: Target, caipirinha, Ernest Hemingway, Mojito

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Founded in 1983, Alive is the Capital City's oldest and only independent alternative and is known for providing a forum for the area's free thinkers. The paper's spirited and original perspective on music, arts and culture distinguish it from the...
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