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Cosmopolitan

If you're craving a fruity cocktail but want to steer clear of big, sticky tutti-frutti drinks topped with umbrellas, pineapples and straws, the Cosmopolitan might be the thing.

The Cosmopolitan is a minimalist cocktail served in a Martini glass with just a flambéed orange peel as a garnish. It's also a drink with plenty of freshness and a cleansing dryness in the finish. It gets its freshness from the lime, the drying finish from the cranberry juice. Yet the Cosmopolitan is fruity; the orange liqueur, lime and cranberry juice all provide this.

Cosmopolitan

4 cl vodka or lemon vodka

3 cl Triple-Sec

3 cl cranberry juice

The juice of half a lime or a quarter of a lemon

Zest of orange peel

Shake the first four ingredients with ice and pour into a chilled Martini glass. Grate the orange zest over the drink.

History

The drink began its life in 1934, but with lemon, gin and raspberry syrup instead of lime, vodka and cranberry juice. Over the years, the ingredients were swapped out and in 1996 the drink was cemented by Dale DeGroff at Manhattan’s Rainbow Rooms. And it is variations of this version that became so popular with the 1998 series Sex and the City that are most famous today.

Variations

As with many other popular drinks, there are a lot of variations that try to bask in the glory of the Cosmopolitan. Some are good and can rightly be called variations on the Cosmopolitan. Others are something completely different. No matter how you twist and turn this recipe, the essence of the Cosmopolitan is citrus aroma and sweetness balanced by acid and a drying mouthfeel. Citrus liqueur, lime/lemon and cranberry juice or similar should therefore always be included in the recipe.

Small variations can be achieved by adjusting the proportions of the different ingredients to your or your guests' taste. A little more Triple-Sec at the expense of Vodka or vice versa can, for example, give a more or less sweet expression.

Slightly larger variations that do not go completely out into the open can be achieved by using a spirit other than Vodka. In order for the drink not to lose too much of its true character, it may be wise to stick to a clear or relatively light spirit. Try, for example, Gin or clear or light Rum or Tequila.