At the beginning of the 70s of the last century, only a limited circle of people in underground American parties knew about this cocktail. But as soon as the drink once appeared on the television screen, the whole world started talking about it. Now “Cosmopolitan” is considered one of the best women’s cocktails.
Historical reference. Initially, the Cosmopolitan cocktail was created to support the alcohol brand Absolut Citron (lemon-flavored vodka). But the recipe never became popular, over time it was quickly forgotten. The drink “took root” only in some informal groups in the United States.
The rebirth of Cosmopolitan was given by a female bartender from Florida, Cheryl Cook, who decided to come up with a purely feminine cocktail that would become an alternative to martinis. Cheryl mixed Absolut Citron citrus vodka, Triple Sec orange liqueur, cranberry and lemon juices. But this recipe quickly fell out of fashion.
The “father” of Cosmopolitan was Manhattan bartender Toby Zizzini. In Mrs. Cook’s recipe, he changed two ingredients: Triple Sec to Cointreau, and lemon juice to lime. It was this version that became classic, and the cocktail itself was recognized by the International Bartenders Association (IBA) in 1986.
But Cosmopolitan became truly popular only after the release of the cult series Sex and the City in 1998, the heroines of which drank this cocktail in almost every episode, sharing women’s secrets.
Classic Cosmopolitan cocktail recipe
Composition and proportions:
- plain or vodka with lemon flavor – 45 ml;
- Cointreau orange liqueur – 15 ml;
- fresh lime juice – 7-8 ml;
- cranberry juice – 30 ml.
All ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 3:1:0.5:2 (3 parts vodka, 1 part liquor, half a part lime and 2 parts cranberry juice). Lime juice can be replaced with lemon juice, there is no significant difference between them.
Technology of preparation
1. Chill a martini glass by filling it with ice cubes.
2. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and stir.
3. Throw ice out of the glass.
4. Pour the cocktail from the shaker into the glass through the strainer.
5. To garnish the Cosmopolitan, you can put a slice of lemon or orange on top, but in most cases it is served without decorations.
It is customary to drink Cosmo in small sips, trying to catch all the notes of its mild taste. Vodka is not felt in the composition. I also advise you to watch a video in which a professional bartender shows how to make this cocktail correctly.
