Cosmopolitan Recipe

The Cosmopolitan is such a classic cocktail that it seems like it must have been around forever. It's one of those drinks that you see the really cool people drinking in those old film noire movies, right?

Actually, it's not. It wasn't invented by Sex and the City, but the Cosmo has only been around since the mid 1980s. The original drink is generally credited to Cheryl Cook, a bartender in South Florida, who was challenged to come up with a drink to showcase the new Absolut Citron vodka. Cheryl also wanted something that would make a beautiful visual presentation in a classic cocktail glass.

And a star was born. To quote Cheryl, "Absolut Citron, a splash of triple sec, a drop of roses lime and just enough cranberry to make it oh so pretty in pink." (Ardent Spirits e-letter, Vol. 7, Issue 6)

Of course, bartenders are tinkerers at heart, and as the drink spread, inevitably there were changes and variations. A Manhattan bartender, Toby Cecchini, is given the credit for coming up with the version that is now seen as the "standard" Cosmopolitan. (Ardent Spirits e-letter, Vol. 7, Issue 6)The Ultimate Cosmopolitan

• 3 parts Citron Vodka
• 1 part Cointreau
• 1-2 parts cranberry juice
• splash of fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a large cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon slice or a twist of lemon peel.