Cachaça. The first time I heard of cachaça was from a Brazilian at a bar, and of course in the context of what else but the caipirinha. The second time I heard of cachaça was from another Brazilian, this time in college on campus, again in the context of a caipirinha. I think you get the point.
Cachaça is the base and highlight of the national cocktail of Brazil – the caipirinha. It’s super simple, delicious, and refreshing like no other. Cachaça is pretty much a type of rum (rum = any spirit made from sugarcane and its derivatives) made in Brazil that is produced from fresh sugarcane juice (as opposed to molasses, which rums are more commonly made from). Since it’s produced from the fresh sugarcane juice, it’s much more vegetal in flavor (think: grassy and raw) than molasses-based rums and you can really “taste the land.” Drank straight, it tastes VERY different from your typical white rums, but it works perfectly as a twist on the classic lime+sugar+rum daiquiri… in fact, that’s the caipirinha!
Caipirinha
- 2oz silver cachaça
- 1/2 a full lime, quartered
- 1-2 sugar cubes
Add the sugar cubes and lime in a glass, and muddle together careful not to overly pulverize the peel (which will make it bitter). Add the cachaça and fill the cup with ice. Stir well and serve in the cup. Garnish with a lime wedge.