The Spirit World

June 12th. Something I try to do every year at this time, wherever I happen to be, is seek out a traditional Brazilian restaurant, and celebrate National Cachaça Day, which remembers June 12th, 1744, the date when Portugal, then colonizer of Brazil, prohibited the production and distribution of cachaça throughout Brazil. Ok, so perhaps it isn’t an “official” national holiday in Brazil, but there are many people who like to have an excuse to celebrate none-the-less.

Of course, “National Cachaça Day” isn’t the only time you can find a celebration worthy of the Caipirinha, as Rosanne describes her her post (”Celebrate Mardi Gras like a Carioca“) you can also use Brazil’s version of Mardi Gras (aka. Fat Tuesday), which they refer to as “Carnaval”.

Cachaça, is a Brazilian spirit that is made from fermented sugar cane juice, which puts in roughly in the same category as rum (which is manufactured from fermented molasses). Cachaça however has a rather unique flavor that has a slightly more earthy character. One of the more popular cocktails that call for cachaça is the Caipirinha, by many accounts Brazil’s national drink.

Caipirinha

• 2 ounces cachaça
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 lime (quartered)

Wash the lime, and cut it in half, and then cut one of the halves into quarters. Put lime and sugar into a tumbler, and muddle hard. Add the cachaça and stir. Fill with cracked, or crushed ice, and stir again.
If cachaça is not available in your area, you can substitute a good white rum.

This drink is one of those times when substituting simple syrup for the sugar isn’t a good idea. The reason is that when you muddle the limes with the granulated sugar, it actually grinds against the skin of the lime a little and releases some of the essential oils in the skin, which adds a wonderful flavor to the drink. And don’t even think about adding ice before you muddle.