The Cosmo Is Bringing Sexy Back

WORDS BY BRANDY BELITSKY

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

It's a retro drink with a bit of a foggy history, but The Sexy Cosmo is making a sweet return and we've got the perfect recipe

The Cosmopolitan, a cocktail hit from the late 90's, is a perfect example of how a trendy TV show can impact booze culture. Sex and the City, a romance series following four friends as they explore the Manhattan dating scene, famously made the pink cocktail popular in the show's second season when one of the main characters ordered one at a wedding bar. The drink made reappearances throughout the show, sparking a trend of people enjoying Cosmos while they watched the show.

This past December, Sex and the City made a controversial return with a reboot titled, "And Just Like That", where three of the original title's main characters are navigating New York life in their fifties, and since then the Sexy Cosmo has been making a resurgence.

The Cosmopolitan didn't start with Sex and the City though. It's not entirely clear where the fruity drink originated. Some sources point to a bartender by the name of Neal Murray who claims that he invented the drink at the Cork & Cleaver steak house in Minneapolis in 1975. Some say that it came from the gay community in Provincetown, a small town in Massachusetts that was famous for growing cranberries. Several other bartenders also claim to have invented the drink, but no one seems to really know for sure where it originated.

We spoke with Tara Smith, the manager of Boudreau Wines in St. Albert, to get the scoop on the Sexy Cosmo and to find out why it's the perfect drink to sip on this Valentine's Day.

When asked what makes the Cosmo such a sexy drink, Tara tells us that other than the pink color, anything can be made sexy with the right intentions. For Tara, what makes a drink sexy is that it's balanced, made with quality ingredients and served in an intentional way. She added, "I love sipping cocktails out of unique vintage glassware. That automatically elevates the experience for me.”

Speaking of quality ingredients, Tara also suggested some great local distilleries for the perfect vodka to use for Cosmo crafting this Valentine's Day.

MD Distillery Lemon Vodka it came from the gay community in Provincetown, a small town in Massachusetts that was famous for growing cranberries. Several other bartenders also claim to have invented the drink, but no one seems to really know for sure where it originated.

Here's how to make a Sexy Cosmo:

2.5 ozs aforementioned Vodkas (or any high quality Vodka will do the trick)

1 oz Cointreau (put the triple sec away! Cointreau is where it’s at)

1 oz Cranberry Cocktail

0.5 ozs fresh squeezed lime juice (take the time to squeeze fresh limes instead of using a concentrate)

Orange twist for garnish

Ensure the glass you use is chilled (fill it with iceand water while you mix the drink)

Shake all ingredients vigorously in a cocktail shaker (a few shards of ice won’t be a bad thing) and strain into your now empty, but chilled glass. Give the rim of the glass a quick rub with the citrus twist and float the twist in your cocktail!

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