A Caipirinha in Miami

For a weekend in Miami, what with warm breezes, shirtsleeves in the evening, and sidewalk cafes, cocktails seemed more appropriate than whiskies. Of course, there’s always the Mojito, but as good as they are down here, they seem almost a cliché these days. Everyone serves Mojitos, even in coldest part of winter in upstate New York. And stopping for a drink one night in South Miami, I had my obligatory Mojito, and was not at all disappointed.

Last night we went to Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, one of Miami’s best new restaurants. Wonderful menu, which apparently changes with great frequency, as our Mike wanted us to taste frogs’ legs, which could no longer be found on the menu. We had about three courses of little plates, tapas style, highlighted by grilled octopus, liver crostini, and a persimmon salad, and then finished the evening with a terrific strip steak. It’s tough to impress us with a steak, because our benchmark has become the Chophouse on Monroe Avenue, whose steaks surpass all but the very best we have found in other cities (Keen’s porterhouse, for example, being one of the few that matches up). But Michael’s strip, in a peppercorn and brandy reduction, was wonderful.

Michael’s bar featured a credible selection of malts, and I was intending to find something a bit off the beaten path, but before I got there, I noticed that the menu contained a listing of classic cocktails. For example, the Negroni, introduced to us by John, with its combination of Campari and sweet vermouth, the same combination found in the Americano, another classic, yet perhaps less discovered taste.

But as we were in Miami, I ordered a Caipirinha, a cocktail that cannot be found in most northern locations, and has not yet reached the ubiquitous status of, for example, the Mojito. Caipirinhas are made with Cachaca, another sugar cane based spirit, not unlike white rum, but a spirit that cannot often be found outside of a city with a big Latin population. The taste of a Caipirinha is tart from the lime, and sweet from superfine sugar (or simple syrup if you want to take shortcuts), but more concentrated than a Mojito, as the cocktail is not diluted in any way. So it’s slower drinking, better for the evening hours than an afternoon barbeque. Despite the high alcohol content, still very refreshing.

That was pretty much the weekend’s recipe – warm breezy days, great food, cocktails, a Cuse victory over Providence. Only thing missing was John.