The Cosmo: A Very Trendy Little Cocktail

Thanks to the popular TV show, Sex and the City the Cosmopolitan has become a staple drink for women. A relative of the classic New England cocktail the Cape Codder, this drink is simple to make, pretty to look at, and easy to drink. The history of the Cosmo, like a lot of cocktails, is fuzzy, but it's said to be created in the early 1970s.

A few years ago, I dabbled in a bit of bartending and took a class at a local bartending school. While much of what I learned has faded from memory, the ingredients in a Cosmopolitan have stuck with me years later because of the clever mnemonic that serves as the title to this blog. The Cosmo is a Very (vodka) Trendy (triple sec) Little (lime) Cocktail (cranberry).

Cosmopolitan
-1 oz. vodka
-1/2 oz. triple sec
-1/2 oz. lime
-1/2 oz. cranberry juice

Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice in a shaker and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge, or a twist.

Unlike the classics, where the ingredients are all but legally binding, this popular cocktail is open to expression. Once you get the hang of the basics Cosmo recipe, you can play around with cranberry juice substitutes. Try different fruit juices or liqueurs such as Midori or peach schnapps! For a Blue Cosmo, use white cranberry juice and substitute blue curacao for the triple sec!