A little bit of history
Perhaps the best point of departure, for an exotic sounding cocktail, is to confirm exactly how to pronounce it! Caipirinha (Portuguese) is pronounced Kai-Pur-Reen-Yah and, as with many of the world’s cocktails, the history of the Caipirinha is a bit of a mixed basket (pun intended) to say the least!
The original recipe consisted of Cachaça (a distilled spirit made from sugar cane), green lemon, honey and garlic. The green lemon possessed a high concentration of vitamin C, and the cachaça contained the alcohol needed to expedite the absorption of the vitamins into the body.
As with many unintentional inventions, some wise individuals decided to replace the honey and garlic with sugar and ice, and thus, saw the birth of the modern day Caipirinha.
Many believe, much like the Gin-and-Tonic, that the Caipirinha was originally created with its medicinal properties in mind to combat the effects of the Spanish Flu. But this is where its connection with Spain ends!
Speaking of death and birth, what is the country of origin for the Caipirinha cocktail?