Cheers: Caipirinha a refreshing drink in La. heat

Don’t let the name fool you.

The national cocktail of Brazil, the caipirinha, is derived from the Portugese word caipira—which means hayseed or country bumpkin—with the -inha suffix—which means small or diminutive.

Caipirinha (pronounced “kie-pee-reen-yah”) does not translate to little hayseed or little bumpkin, and most people would rather drink one than become hung up over its name. In fact, this refreshing beverage—which some people liken to a sweet margarita on the rocks—has become the rage of Brazilian churrascarias across the United States, including Texas de Brazil’s location in Perkins Rowe.

The history of the caipirinha is just as muddled as the lime and sugar used to form the base of the cocktail.

According to one Web site devoted to the drink and its main ingredient—cachaca—many older Brazilians claim the caipirinha was originally a folk remedy used to help alleviate the symptoms of colds and flu and to soothe sore throats. Even today, many Brazilians create a concoction of lime juice, cachaca and honey as a remedy for colds and flu.

Cachaca is a uniquely Brazilian product with a distinctive aroma and taste that differs from most rums. While most rums are molasses-based, cachaca is made from the juice of sugar cane. Whether or not a leavening agent of rice bran or rice flakes is added, the cane juice is fermented from one to three days, then distilled at a steady temperature and filtered to remove any impurities.

Brazil produces about 2 billion liters of cachaca annually and exports about 400 million liters, leaving 1.6 billion liters for domestic consumption—about 3 gallons more or less for every man, woman and child in the country.

The popular and most readily available cachacas—Pitu, 51, Leblon, 10 Cane or Ypioca Prata—are perfect for making a world-class caipirinha.

Caipirinha

1 lime

2 tablespoons cane sugar

2 ounces cachaca

Cut the lime into wedges and place at the bottom of an old-fashioned glass.

Add sugar to the lime wedges, and muddle the sugar and lime wedges.

Add 2 ounces of cachaca, stirring well to dissolve any remaining sugar.

Add cracked ice and enjoy.