Cosmopolitan: the recipe for preparing the American cocktail based on vodka

He Cosmopolitan it’s a famous american cocktail based on vodka (or lemon vodka), whose sweetness, given by the alcoholic part (vodka and Cointreau), is attenuated by the acidity of lime juice and you cranberry (cranberry), which gives the drink its characteristic Pink color intense. Due to its high alcohol content, equal to 22°, it is considered a “cocktails at any time“, perfect to sip on any occasion – both as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to a light dinner – served in a chilled Martini glass.

Officially recognized by the IBA (International Association of Bartenders) and classified “contemporary cocktails“, the Cosmopolitan (often abbreviated as “Cosmo”) is an iconic drink, symbol of emancipation and femininity, which immediately brings to mind New York and the glittering evenings of the Big Apple. Unsurprisingly, it has become famous in the 90s. , thanks to the singer Madonnaphotographed at the Rainbow Room in New York with a glass of Cosmo, and the TV series The sex and the Citywhose protagonist, Carrie Bradshaw, talks about her social life while sipping this red-colored drink.

As for the inventor and the origins of the cocktail, the actuality is uncertain. According to some, it was born in the 1950s, from the idea of ​​a large American company producing cranberry juice; while for others, the Cosmopolitan’s recipe and ingredients should be attributed to Cheryl Cook who, in 1987, decided to create a sweet and sour cocktail at the same time, adapted to the palates of women.

Very simple to make at home, it is prepared in 5 minutes and only requires a few small attentions. First, get the right tools: a BlenderAnd jiggeruseful for accurately measuring alcohol, a strainer or a fine-mesh strainer and a juicer. So remember to put it in the freezer Martini Cup, characterized by the shape of an inverted cone and also used for other drinks such as Margarita and Daiquiri. At this point, all you have to do is combine all the ingredients in the shaker with the ice, shake vigorously, and pour the drink in, straining it through the strainer. Finally, you can garnish it with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass or on the surface of the drink itself.

Discover the original Cosmopolitan recipe, and also try other aperitif drinks, such as Negroni, Moscow Mule and Manhattan.

How to prepare the Cosmopolitan cocktail

To prepare the Cosmopolitan, start by placing the Martini glass in the freezer for about ten minutes or, alternatively, fill it with ice. Squeeze the lemon (or lime) juice with a citrus juicer and strain it through a fine strainer. Bring a Boston shaker, consisting of a small bell and a mixing box (larger cup). Using a dispenser, the special dispenser, pour the alcoholic part (vodka and cointreau) into the smallest bell 1Then mix the cranberry juice and lemon or lime juice.

Add a few ice cubes to fill the small bell and pour 3 ice cubes into the larger mixing mold. Close both mugs and shake the shaker vigorously, until it becomes very cold 2.

Pour the cocktail into the chilled classic Martini glass 3.

Next, wash and dry a lime, cut it into thin slices and incise it 4so that it can get stuck on the edge of the glass.

Finally, use the slice of lime to decorate the drink: you can also use tongs for this step. The Cosmopolitan is ready to be served 5: to be enjoyed frozen, as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to a light meal.

Advice

For the preparation of the Cosmopolitan you can replace the Cointreau with the triple sec, a sweet liqueur with a very similar taste. Instead, to extract as much juice as possible from the lime, follow this trick that bartenders use for Mojitos: rub the fruit between your hands to warm it slightly.

Variants

The Cosmopolitan is a well-known cocktail which, as such, lends itself to many reinterpretations. The most famous are undoubtedly the following: Cosmopolitan Whiteprepared with cranberry juice, Cosmopolitan bluewith cranberry juice and blue curaçao instead of cointreau, and the Metropolitanwhich replaces crème de cassis for triple sec.

Curiosity and history

The history and origins of the Cosmopolitan are rather controversial. The first appearance of a drink of the same name is recorded in 1927, for an alcoholic drink made from whiskey, vermouth, Swedish punch and vodka, invented by Scottish bartender Harry MacElhone. However, the preparation of the Scottish barman differed greatly from the current recipe, which began to spread with some variations from the 70s, thanks to Neal Murraybartender at the “Cork & Cleaver” steak house in Minneapolis, or a John Cainbartender in Provincetown.

However, it was not until the end of the 1980s, in a restaurant in Miami, in South Beach, that the famous barlady Cheryl Cook he used a sample of Absolut Citron in a sweet cocktail, to be served in the famous Martini glass, with triple sec and lime and cranberry juice: from this experiment the Cosmopolitan was born, inspired by the name of the famous newspaper American.

Finally, a last hypothesis attributes the paternity of the cocktail to the owner of the “Odeon” in Tribeca, Toby Cecchiniwho he claims changed the recipe for a cocktail prepared by one of his colleagues.