My recipe: Cherry Bounce Caipirinha

By C. Mason Stearns

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Of all the myriad gifts Brazil has given us (Jobim, meat on swords, the string bikini), my favourite is a simple wooden stick. Anyone who has ordered a mojito has seen one: the instrument wielded by bartenders when crushing limes or mint. The technique is called muddling, and it’s caught on thanks to the clout of Brazil’s national drink, the caipirinha.

My Cherry Bounce takes the original as a starting point – with its fresh citrus and fiery cachaca – and folds in tart griottes (sour cherries) and spicy pink peppercorns. Suggested serving: Sip slowly on a hot afternoon with Ipanema wafting in the background.

• 2 oz cachaca
• 3 / 4 of a fresh lime, cut in wedges
• 3–4 pitted griottes (sour cherries)
• 1 tsp pink peppercorn sugar syrup

In a heavy-bottomed glass, muddle together the lime wedges, griottes and sugar syrup. Add ice cubes and the cachaca and stir well.

Pink Peppercorn Sugar Syrup
Makes 350 ml (half a wine bottle)

• 300 ml white sugar
• 300 ml water
• 15–20 pink peppercorns
• In a saucepan, simmer the water and peppercorns for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Add the sugar, dissolve and remove from heat. Allow to cool, then strain into an empty, clean bottle. Store in the fridge. Keeps for three weeks.

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Chris Stearns is one of Canada’s foremost mixologists. You can reach him at cstearns@enroutemag.net.

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