There are two things wrong with the Cosmopolitan. To begin with, it became SO popular in the 1990's that it is now "un-hip". Everybody was drinking them back then; they couldn't get enough of it. But, just like Cabbage Patch Kids, that level of popularity can only last so long before it just gets annoying. The second thing wrong with Cosmopolitans, is that they suck, or at least often do.
Amongst cocktail aficionados, the Cosmopolitan is often viewed with disdain. Not only for the reasons listed above, but because it usually seems to be ordered by people who are otherwise clueless about cocktails, and are just trying to be "on the in", but ordering the cocktail that they think is hip. It's sort of like being a wine-snob around somebody who is ordering a white zinfandel.
While white zinfandels can be the tell-tell sign of somebody who might not be very experienced with wines, there are in fact many great blush wines available, and some of them just happen to be zinfandels. Likewise, while the next Cosmopolitan you order might just be a silly concoction, it could also be a great cocktail if it is made in the style of the classics.
Cosmopolitan
- 1 1/2 ounces citron vodka
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- 1/4 ounce lime juice
Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime, or a flamed orange peel.
If you look at the generalities of the above recipe, you will quickly notice it's similarity to some of the classics we have covered in the past: Sidecar, Daiquiri, Margarita, Pegu, Bacardi Cocktail, as well as another “modern” classic Jasmine. It consists of a base spirit (vodka) plus sweetening agent (Cointreau) balanced against a citrus/sour agent (lime juice). The cranberry juice is being a bridge between the Cointreau and the lime juice, by bringing both sweetening and souring to the equation. (And just between you and me, I also like to add a dash of orange bitters when I make this drink).
The objective with making a great Cosmopolitan is making sure that you use quality ingredients, and mix them in the right proportions to provide a subtle balance of flavors. Where most folks will go wrong with this drink is in use of ingredients such as sour mix, Rose's Lime Juice, triple sec, or other such pre-bottled mixes.
The Cosmopolitan is one of those drinks that folks are often asking about the origins of (or claiming to be the originator). Since it is one of the newer drinks to hit the market, you might think that its origins would have been well documented. Unfortunately this is not the case. Recently, a few different claimants have stepped forward to try to lay ownership to this recipe. Cheryl Cook is probably the best one to point to, she describes how she created the drink in the late 80's in an attempt to use the new Absolute Citron that her liquor rep presented her with. The recipe she says she came up with was: Absolut Citron, a splash of triple sec, a drop of roses lime and just enough cranberry to make it oh so pretty in pink.. (Note: Absolute Citron was introduced in 1988, so that would be the earliest date for this drink).
Astute readers however will notice that Cheryl uses both triple sec, and Rose's Lime Juice, two ingredients that I eschew in the proper creation of this drink. Which is where Toby Cecchini and Dale DeGroff enter the story. In the early 1990's at two different times, behind two different bars, they were both presented with the drink listed above, and realized that it was not living up to its full potential. They quickly switched in Cointreau and fresh lime juice, and the Cosmopolitan finally arrived on the scene in the manner it deserved.
So the next time you make (or order) a Cosmopolitan, make sure that it uses Cointreau, and fresh lime juice. Chances are, you just might re-discover this drink all over again.
