With the party season upon us and little black dresses at the ready (the boys will have to wait until Carnaval to wear theirs), here’s TM’s guide to the top cocktails expected to be sipped across the island over this festive holiday.
The Latin Spirit
Tenerife’s close cultural connections to Central and South America make rum-based cocktails a favourite amongst the Latinos, particularly in the north of the island where Cuban bars and fiesta kiosks like their alcohol infused with sugar and salsa. Or as they say here, azucar!
Mojito (moh-HEE-toe)
3oz Bacardi
juice 1 lime
2 tsp sugar
4 sprigs fresh mint
soda water
Crush 3 sprigs of mint with the sugar into a paste in the bottom of a glass. Add a splash of soda to dissolve the sugar. Add the lime juice and rum and mix. Pour over crushed ice, add the last sprig of mint & top up with soda.
Caipirinha (kie-purr-REEN-yah) ““ meaning “˜country bumpkin’
2oz Cachaca rum (sweet Brazilian rum ““ accept no substitute)
1 lime quartered
2 tsp fine sugar
Crush sugar and lime into a paste in the bottom of a glass. Fill the glass with ice and pour over the Cachaca. Stir well and frequently to keep the sugar dissolved.
Mai Tai – which is Tahitian for out of this world
1 ounce light rum
½ ounce triple sec
¼ ounce lime juice
1 ½ ounces pineapple juice
1 ½ ounces orange juice
1 dash of Grenadine
½ ounce dark rum
maraschino cherry for garnish
Shake all ingredients together with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a glass half filled with ice. Top with dark rum and garnish with the cherry.
Daiquiri
2 measures white rum
½ measure lime juice
¼ measure sugar syrup
Shake all ingredients together with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain through a fine strainer (to avoid lime pips and pulp) into a Martini glass.
Up Town Twists
In the chic bars and clubs of Playa de Las Américas and Costa Adeje where the clientele are as manicured as the beaches, nowadays it’s less Tenerife Uncovered and more Sex and the City.
Cosmopolitan
2 measures Russian vodka
1 measure Cointreau
1 measure cranberry juice
Splash lime juice
Shake all ingredients together with ice in a cocktail shaker and pour into a chilled Martini glass. Add an olive.
Margarita
2 measures Tequila
1 measure Cointreau
½ measure lime juice
Prepare the cocktail glass by rubbing lime juice all the way around the edge of the glass and dipping it in a saucer of salt. Shake all ingredients together with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into the glass.
Tequila Sunrise
1 measure Tequila
large dash Grenadine
fresh orange juice
Half fill a tall glass with ice cubes and add the Tequila. Top up with orange juice to a little below the rim. Add a generous dash of Grenadine which will sink to the bottom of the glass colouring the orange juice on its way down. Garnish with a twisted wedge of orange.
Glass-nost
As Tenerife becomes more cosmopolitan, the clientele are changing and a glance at any menu will soon tell you”¦ the Russians are coming. So if there’s one ingredient that’s going to top the cocktail-making list this Christmas, it’s vodka.
Sex on the Beach
2 measures Russian vodka
1 measure Peach Schnapps
3 measures cranberry juice
3 measures orange juice
splash lemon juice
Shake the vodka, Schnapps and lemon juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain and pour into a tall glass. Top up with cranberry and orange juice.
Black Russian
2 measures Russian vodka
1 measure Kahlua
Cola
Shake the vodka and Kahlua in a cocktail shaker, pour over ice and top with cola. You can substitute Tia Maria for the Kahlua if you prefer.
White Russian
As above but gently pour cream over the alcohol instead of cola and don’t mix.
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