Dedications: My four late friends Rory, Stan, Bryan, Jeff - shine on you crazy diamonds, they would have blogged too. Then theres Garry from Brisbane, Franco in Milan, Mike now in S.F. / my '60s-'80s gang: Ned & Joseph in Ireland; in England: Frank, Des, Guy, Clive, Joe & Joe, Ian, Ivan, Nick, David, Les, Stewart, the 3 Michaels / Catriona, Sally, Monica, Jean, Ella, Anne, Candie / and now: Daryl in N.Y., Jerry, John, Colin, Martin and Donal.

Thursday 12 June 2014

Caipirinha time ...

The World Cup marathon is about to start, with the opening ceremony in a few hours. Those Brazilians sure know how to party and put on a show, so expect to be dazzled, even if you are into interested in the footie.

I first had a caipirinha over a decade ago, when it was a rare hip new drink in clubland. Now I am ready to make my own, as have got a bottle of that sugar cane spirit, cachaça , and the necessary limes and golden castor sugar. Cut a lime in segments, and bash in a strong glass to release all the juice and mix with the sugar, then top up with a measure of cachaça and ice. To simplify things I have just got an ice crusher and a cocktail muddler, a little tool ideal for bashing the fruit - otherwise one may have to use the end of a rolling pin!

My pal Jorge in Sao Paulo sends me this recipe for a peach caipirinha and says be sure to use a ripe peach in this tart, refreshing spin on the classic drink. 

Half a very ripe peach / 
3/4 ounce of freshly squeezed juice from 1 to 2 limes /
1 teaspoon sugar / 
2 1/4 ounces cachaca
1/2 a lime cut in 4 wedges. 

Slice peace in quarters and place in cocktail shaker. Add lime, juice and sugar, and muddle well. Add cachaca and lime wedges, fill shaker with ice and shake until very cold, about 15 seconds. Pour into a rocks glass. Well, its a change from Peach Bellini ! 

As a change from the football how about some movies set in Rio and Brasil - lets start with BLACK ORPHEUS which I loved last year, and my old favourite: Belmondo and Francoise Dorleac in THAT MAN FROM RIO, very 1964 - or Jean Dujardin zippy spoof OSS 117 LOST IN RIO.
Alternatively, one could fly down to Rio with Fred and Ginger, or Gary and Ingrid in NOTORIOUS



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