The time has come to rediscover the cosmopolitan

When we think of Cosmopolitan, of course we can’t help but remember Sex and the city. Carrie and the girls have been seen enjoying them many times in this iconic series.

But the Cosmopolitan was more than part of a beloved TV series that will soon be making a comeback again. It was also a big part of the history of cocktails.

“Ten years before Sex and the citytook the world by storm and Manolo Blahnik’s sales skyrocketed, the Cosmopolitan we know today was born in the cultural mecca of New York, ”said Elyse Blechman, National Ambassador of the brand for Absolut Vodka. “My friend and father of Cosmo, Toby Cecchini was working hard behind the bar at the Odeon in 1988, mixing martinis and the like for celebrities and creatives. To whip up something vibrant and new to sip at parties, Cecchini started to DIY a recipe for Vodka Daisy, that is, a traditional sour-style cocktail with the addition of a liqueur, ”he said. Blechman said.

The Cosmopolitan was undeniably considered sexy and trendy, and it became a favorite “girls night” cocktail for anyone who wanted to capture their inner Carrie or Samantha. “In 1998, Carrie and the girls brought that vibrancy, that panache, that moment of glamor and sparkle into every home (with HBO). The Cosmopolitan has transcended cultural echelons, becoming something spectacular that everyone can enjoy, ”said Blechman.

Sure, that’s an original theory for the Cosmo, but there are some pretty solid ones too! “The Cosmopolitan has several origin stories, but famed cocktail historian Gary Regan chose Cheryl Cook of Strand Restaurant in South Beach, Fla. As its creator circa 1985,” said Anthony Caporale, director of spirits education. to Culinary Education Institute.

Cook described what inspired her to develop the drink in a letter to Regan, revealing the real secret to the drink’s popularity: about that achievement that gave me the idea to create a drink that anyone could to taste and that was visually stunning in this classic glass. This is what the Cosmo was based on. ”

The rest is a hallmark of martini history. “I start my Martini Masterclass at the Institute of Culinary Education with the idea that most people who drink martinis want the glass, not the liquid in it, and Cook’s meteoric rise of creation confirms this. “said Corporal.

But like any trend, the Cosmopolitan had its heyday, then faded from the limelight. “I’m sure there are a number of reasons the Cosmo’s popularity has waned, but I guess the most important is precisely because she was so iconic in her time,” Caporale said. “As we moved past the late ’80s and early’ 90s, we left behind the trends that helped define them, and the Cosmo was certainly one of them. “

Whether or not it is a cocktail that we are revisiting now, it is clear that it remains worthy of being included in all the guides of classic cocktails. “There is no doubt that the Cosmopolitan has earned its place in the canon of classic cocktails, however, and it is easily the best known of the callables (i.e. it can be ordered or called up in n ‘any bar, whether on the menu or not) post-prohibition drinks,’ said Caporale.

The recipe can be attributed to two bar standards that came before it by at least 30 years: the Cape Codder and the Kamikaze. “Both contain vodka and lime, the former using cranberry juice as a blender and the latter adding triple sec,” Caporale said. The combination of the four ingredients in Cosmo simply and unsurprisingly works, so if you haven’t had one for a few decades – or never – it should definitely be on your cocktail collector’s tasting list.

Here’s a classic cosmopolitan recipe:

• In a mold half-filled with ice cubes, add:
• 2½ ounces Absolut Lemon Vodka
• ½ ounce Cointreau
• ½ ounce cranberry juice
• Juice of ½ fresh lime

1. Shake until the mold is frosted.
2. Filter into a martini glass.
3. Garnish with a wedge of freshly cut lime

“The two things that set a good Cosmo (for my taste) apart are not using too much cranberry juice and making sure to shake the drink until the can is frosted,” Caporale said. “I see a lot of dark red Cosmopolitans, and this is a sure sign that you will only taste cranberry juice.”

That’s fine if that’s what you like, but Caporale says in that case you might want to taste a Cape Codder instead, which is almost the same drink but served on rocks with a lot more juice. cranberry. “Plus, I like that my Cosmos has a thin layer of fine bubbles and chunks of ice on top,” Caporale said. This means the drink has been shaken well, so the pieces of ice will keep the drink cold longer and the bubbles will help bring more flavor to my nose.

The return of the cosmos?

Trends tend to exist in cycles, and just like Sex and the city The series appears to be making a comeback, as is this iconic drink that will always be associated with Carrie and the other ladies. “I think we can all attest to the circular nature of trends – what is kitsch becomes cool again when the wheel turns,” said Blechman.

Over the past two years as National Brand Ambassador for Absolut Vodka, Blechman has led a crusade she calls #CosmoComeback – a call to action to refocus this neo-classic cocktail in our social moments.

“The Cosmopolitan is a fragment of our popular culture, a cocktail that has become fashionable,” said Blechman. “This little pink drink is an emotion, an expression, a state of mind, a total atmosphere -“ class in the glass ”as I like to say. The Cosmopolitan itself is the celebration. We rejoice! “

It’s a comeback that we are ready to support!