The star bartender’s fruity twist on this classic is quick and easy to whip up.
About the cocktail
Sometimes, the simplest drinks are the ones you return to time and again. They’re the ones that don’t require tonnes of effort, manual labour or gold leaf. Just like those never-fail dinners, like that pasta dish that always makes its midweek appearance. We’re talking about the bread-and-butter, just-add-water (not literally, obviously) cocktails that become a beloved part of the repertoire. For us, Cara Devine’s Passionfruit twist on the Caipiroska is already just that. Super clean, super easy and ready for sipping in a matter of minutes. And, honestly, who doesn’t love a bit of passionfruit? Before we get into the specifics of this cocktail, let us introduce – or reintroduce – our friend, Cara. We’ve come to know the drink that made her want to become a bartender and her signature drink, and now the former manager of Melbourne's beloved Bomba has taken on a new challenge, opening a venue with friends called Goodwater – a neighbourhood bar in Northcote with lots of American whiskey. “Since opening, it has been great to see the neighbourhood shaping the bar as well,” explains Cara. “We will always have an incredible range of American whiskey, but we’ve found a lot of people are using it more as a wine bar, so we’ve increased our wine offering. But it also has great cocktails, beer, snacks and general good times as well.” Back to our cocktail of the hour, the Passionfruit Caipiroska. “I think the beauty of this cocktail is its simplicity,” explains Cara. “In Brazil, Caipirinhas are often made by the side of the street with a few limes muddled into sugar and a healthy dose of cachaça, which lets the spirit shine with some sweetness and acid.” Here, Cara has taken the same easy approach to make this much-loved vodka cocktail, adding tangy passionfruit pulp to the mix, putting a deliciously fruity twist on the popular classic. Because this drink is so easy – there’s that word again – the ingredients really stand out, so it’s important they’re good quality. “You don’t have to break the bank, but, like any simple cocktail, a good-quality base is essential,” explains Cara. “At home, I’d always suggest buying a couple of bottles that you love, rather than trying to stock a huge range of different spirits.” So, what does this delicious passionfruit cocktail taste like? “A tropical pop of fun!” says Cara. Think lovely fruity sweetness, a brilliant zesty fresh sourness from the muddled lemons, and a bit of bite from the vodka. Want to add Cara’s Passionfruit Caipiroska to your cocktail repertoire? Check out our steps and top tips below.
Watch: How to make a Passionfruit Caipiroska
Ingredients
4 lemon wedges
20mL sugar syrup 60mL vodka 30mL passionfruit pulp (fresh or tinned) 15mL lemon juice (or to taste)
Method
Squeeze lemon wedges into the shaker before dropping them in Add sugar syrup and vodka, then gently muddle the lemons to release the juices and oils from the skin Shake until the outside of the tin is frosty Pour the mix into your serving glass – ice, lemons and all
Cara’s top tips
We’ve banged on about how simple the Passionfruit Caipiroska is – and it is – but don’t be fooled. There are always ways to make your cocktail even better. The first? Don’t be too aggressive with your muddling. “You don’t have to muddle too hard or for too long. It’s really a gentle press to get the juices flowing and release some of the wonderful aromatic oils in the skin,” explains Cara. “If you go too hard, you can start to extract some of the bitterness in the fruit.” For ease and less mess, Cara suggests using the ‘shake and dump’ method for making the Passionfruit Caipiroska at home: “No straining necessary, so less mess and you get a lovely pebbled ice effect at the end.” If vodka’s not your thing, you can always seek out the traditional cachaça for the base, or have a go with your fave spirit instead. “If gin, rum, or tequila is more your style, no problem – you can definitely make this with another spirit,” says Cara. Lastly, Cara suggests serving up this bad boy with some salty snacks like charcuterie to balance out the fresh sweetness of the drink.
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