SPLENDID SPIRITS In Rio de Janeiro, we enjoyed refreshing caipirinhas – Brazil’s national cocktail – concocted from fresh lime juice, sugar, crushed ice and cachaça (pronounced ka-cha-sa). Distilled from sugar cane, this potent alcohol is also combined with fresh coconut, mango or papaya and sweetened condensed milk to make batidas. Servers offered us a rainbow-coloured assortment of these tasty fruit cocktails. Although anise-flavoured ouzo is the national drink of Greece, several Greek liqueurs are also worth trying. Clear, white mastiha – made from the sap of the mastic tree that’s indigenous to the island of Chios – has a sweet, herbal taste. Bright orange Koum Kouat – made from kumquat fruits with an aroma reminiscent of oranges and strawberries – is produced on the island of Corfu. Haraki Honey is a grape-based Cretan aperitif, flavoured with thyme honey. In summer, bartenders serve it in tumblers with an ice cube. In winter, they serve it as a hot drink, scented with cloves and cinnamon sticks. Rum and rum punch are popular with both Caribbean locals and visitors. Grenadian shopkeepers also sell more unique beverages, including green banana wine and five-finger wine. The latter is made from the carambola, a yellow fruit that looks like a star when cut into slices. Especially delicious is ponche de crème. This rum-based drink looks and tastes remarkably like Bailey’s Irish Cream, accented with nutmeg. The best time to find this Caribbean eggnog is during the Christmas season. CSANews | WINTER 2023 | 15 Travel
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx