It was horrendously hot, hiking around Iguazu Falls in the height of summer. The sun and thirst were overwhelming, but never mind. The spectacular crash, foam and spray of the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), an endless wall of plunging water, made me forget any discomfort.
Happily, pleasant relief was in store. Rounding a shady corner, I came upon a pretty buffet of cool sandwiches, fruits and an icy pitcher filled with lime slices and the most refreshing drink imaginable, Brazil’s caipirinha.
The appearance of a Brazilian drink in Argentina was understandable. The falls are bordered by both countries, and I could see across to Brazil from the Argentine side, where I was hiking.
The caipirinha—I confess, I downed four of them--is like a rum sour, but without the deeper molasses notes of rum. The base is cachaca (pronounced cachasa), a Brazilian liquor distilled from fermented sugar cane juice.
Mexico also produces cane alcohol. When I tried the drink at home, I experimented with both Brazil’s Ypioca Crystal Cachaca and Victoria Alcohol de Cana from Hermosillo, Sonora.
Aged for a year in oak barrels, Ypioca has a delicate buttery flavor, as if it were trying to become rum. The Mexican spirit is stronger--49.5% alcohol compared to 39% for Ypioca, and it tastes sharp and fiery, like a true aguardiente (firewater).
The Iguazu recipe is to crush quartered limes with sugar in a glass, then add cachaca and ice. I tested this with ordinary green limes and also with small yellow Mexican limes. Either works well, but the deeper color of the green limes is especially attractive. The drink is very sweet, but it’s not necessary to cut back on the sugar. Just add more cachaca and ice for a long, cool, summery drink.
IGUAZU FALLS CAIPIRINHA
1 lime, well washed and quartered
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ounces cachaca
Ice cubes
Place the lime quarters in a large squat glass. Add the sugar and crush into the limes to extract the juice and flavor, using a muddler or the handle of a large wooden spoon. Add the cachaca, then fill with ice cubes. Stir to blend. Allow the ice to melt slightly before drinking. Makes 1 caipirinha.
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