Friday, August 25, 2006

A late summer day off and a recipe for Caipirinhas


My list of to-dos in the garden today is long, and includes cutting back, deadheading, and watering like a fiend. It's supposed to get into the 90's again this weekend, and I'm trying to prevent a later summer fry-a-thon that could just take out the garden. Wink will join me, I'm sure, along with Frida and Picasso.

Other things I want to do? Grill some fruit tonight, and make some cocktails (well not today, but tonight). We grilled nectarines the other night: talk about delish.

The annual summer cocktail here at Casa de Lelo and AdRi is the Caipirinha, made from the Brazilian Cachaca (not to be confused with macaca). What? You've never had a Caipirenha? It's the perfect hot weather cocktail.

Caipirinha, pronounced Ki/pea/ree/nya is supposedly Brazil's famous cocktail and uses Cachaca, a powerful alcohol made from sugar cane. Take one whole lime, cut into fourths, juice it into a glass, and muddle the crap out of it. Add a tablespoon of raw brown sugar and stir it up. Fill in the glass with lots of ice, pour in a shot or two of cachaca, and top with a splash of sparkling mineral water or soda water. Stir and enjoy.

Oh, the garden is calling...happy Friday peeps.

10 comments:

Rozanne said...

Caipirinhas are fantastic! Until you have one too many, which is soooooo easy to do. No need to ask how I know.

Thanks for the pronunciation. That's always had me stumped.

Zoe said...

Sounds delicious, and I could use a drink right now.

The Snarkess said...

Thank you thank you! Not only have I had this before, loved it, and wished I could make it, I've been calling it a "cah-peer-ah-nah.."

...as in, rhymes with carnivorous fish.

:) Thanks so much!

rodger said...

A couple years ago my boss brough me a bottle of Cachaca from Brazil in a bottle that looked like some odd fruit. Along with the bottle he explained how to make a Caipirinha but his pronunciation was bit different.

Thanks for correcting that and reminding me that I still have a bit of the Cachaca left at home.

I'll raise my glass in a toast to you, yours and your garden when I mix mine tonight.

Cheers!

LeLo said...

Don't be too impressed: the pronunciation guide came directly from the bottle. I'm glad so many of you know this drink too! I don't drink it any other time of year but for the hot summer days. It just seems to be made for that. And after what I've done in the garden today, I'm enjoying one this very minute. Cheers to all of you, too!

Unknown said...

I'll be over at 7:00. That work for you?

ztssg

StePHen said...

i hope your night (drinks included) went great... i can totally relate about the gardening in the sun. ever since i moved down here.. i cannot miss a single day of water and grooming or they just die quicker than i can blink. the sun is so much harsher down in the south.. i used to be able to get away with it!

Monogram Queen said...

That sounds SO refreshing and I am DYING to grill some fruit

purpletwinkie said...

LOVE Caipirinhas! Salivating here...

pack of 2 said...

lelo.
i work at the new brazil restaurant on sw 12th too...have you checked it out yet? They have Caipirinhas there...we make about a billion a night!

Shelly