A very good Brazilian friend recently passed through Toronto came bearing cachaca (sugar cane liqueur) from Brazil together with a recipe for caprihinias which he obtained from the senior barman at the Copa Cabana Place Hotel in Rio.

In his view, the key to a good caprihinia is to avoid picking up the bitterness from the pith of the lime.

Starting with the lime, cut off the ends to limit the area of the skin (pith) used in the muddling. Then slice the limes in half end-ways and remove the core of the lime which is also a source of bitterness. Cut the halves of the lime crosswise so there are eight pieces. Put four into a glass, skin down so that the muddler never touches the skin. Add sugar. Press the juice out with the muddler. Repeat with the other four pieces.  Pour 2 ozs of cachaca into drink add ice and stir.

Interestingly our Brazilian friend added no sugar but he acknowledged that this was an acquired taste.

 

 

 

– Le Patron

Follow me for my ruminations on local seasonal food markets as well as speculation on broader global food issues @lepatronecc3
www.georgeonqueen.com