If you’re a fan of the caipirinha, the popular cachaça cocktail, then you might have also tried its vodka-based cousin, the caipiroska. If not, a quick run down: you start by muddling lime wedges and brown sugar in the bottom of a glass, then add plenty of vodka and stir to dissolve the sugar, before pouring in lots of crushed ice and garnishing with another lime wedge. It’s refreshing, easy to make, and a great summer drink.
Now, the team from the Great Jones Distilling Co. bar in New York have put their own spin on this smooth sipper by adding chili and passion fruit, turning the simple drink into something more complex and exciting. Named the Iguazú Mist, the cocktail is the brainchild of head mixologist Collin Frazier, who makes the drink with Hangar One vodka, lime cordial, lime juice, simple syrup, lime wedges, and jalapeño. The drink is topped with a generous pour of passion fruit and dragonfruit foam and frozen lime zest.
“The decision to incorporate these flavors as a foam was twofold: to create a layered effect that is visually appealing (fluffy, contrasting colors), and to elevate the drinking experience by providing two distinct textures that begin apart and eventually meld into one another,” explained Frazier. “I’m often thinking about the ‘journey’ of a cocktail, and in this case, I found the idea of having to sip through the foam (light, fruity) to get to a completely different flavor (vegetal, mildly spicy/savory) to be a fun idea.”
Frazier says he uses an orange juice base for his foam, adding powdered dragon fruit and passion fruit, ginger, cinnamon, honey, and egg whites. This mixture is loaded into a whipped cream dispenser to be added just before the drink is served, adding lust tropical flavors to this classic drink.
