Cosmopolitan

COSMOPOLITAN

A good and jolly evening to each and everyone! Tonight I made a classic I should've done ages ago! I introduce you to the Cosmopolitan. But before we got to the core basics of this classic, a bit of history if you don't mind.

I've post-poned the making of this cocktail for a long time. Probably the biggest reason being the fact that I have actually made this before, a few years back but wasn't really satisfied with the result. It could've been the lack of my artisanship, poor recipe (I get to that soon) or both. Moreover, this cocktail uses a very small amount of cranberry juice in it and a whole carton of it for the sake of an amount less of a standard type shot, I felt justified of "not-making-this" cocktail.

Nonetheless, I have grabbed the bull by its horn and here we are. No excuses, just cocktails!

Oh and regarding the recipe. Keep in mind that the one I just represents only one version of the Cosmo. There are literally countless amount of different versions of this cocktail (I went through a lot before going for this one) and let's be honest here. There are good ones and there are bad ones out there but there is no "right" one. But basically, this is a "pimped out" Kamikaze, if you so gently put it. I remember the first time I made this I used the rule "one shot of everything (2.5 cl / 1½ fl oz)."

• 4.5 cl (citron) vodka (I used absolut citron)
• 3 cl cointreau
• 1.5 cl fresh lime juice
• ~1.5 cl cranberry juice 

READ THE UPDATE WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH THE ORIGINAL TEXT

The cranberry juice is mainly used for the color but it has a tart taste to it as well. Vodka for the power and lime juice to even out the sweetness of cointreau. Again, where I work I would make it differently, with more cranberry juice and less liquor (silly laws).

Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake hard and double-strain into your chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with either a lime or if feeling "uuh adventurous", take a zest of orange, light it up and rim the glass with it/twist the essential oils of it into your drink & drop it in (as seen in the picture).

Result? A gorgeous cocktail with a lovely orange aroma to it. But...the unlimited versions of the Cosmo has made me doubt myself to the point that I ask myself "How should a Cosmo taste like?" I've tasted quite a few ones (the most horrible being in Estonia where they used booze instead of vodka oh my the memories!) and I'm still not convinced.

Feel free to comment a recipe you prefer and I might as well make it. I seriously feel torn here!

And now that we're at it, I had the opportunity to meet my god-daughter today and that KICKED ASS! CHEERS TO THAT! :)

UPDATE 26.01.2016

THIS is the shit!

So here's an update. A WELL-DESERVED update on this now-modern classic! FINALLY a recipe I can stand behind to! Robert Hess from Small Screen Network made this cocktail and given, with the recipe he provided...THIS is a good Cosmopolitan!

• 4.5 cl Absolut Citron (or any citron-flavored vodka)
• 1.5 cl Cointreau
• 3 cl cranberry juice
• 0.75 cl lime juice
• orange peel garnish

The Cosmopolitan. 'Nuff said.