Cosmopolitan

Vodka, Cointreau, cranberry, lime. Measure, shake, strain. The Cosmopolitan was built to be quick, and the only thing that reliably ruins it is lime juice from a bottle. Squeeze a fresh one and you’re most of the way there.

A few things I do differently from the recipe on the back of the cranberry carton: the ice goes into the shaker last, the glass sits in the freezer while I measure, and the drink gets strained twice so there are no ice shards on top. None of it is extra work, you just do things in a different order, and the drink comes out cold, clear and properly sharp instead of pink and watery.

Ingredients needed

Vodka – plain, unflavoured, something you’d happily drink on its own. Citron vodka is the 1980s original and still lovely, but a clean vodka plus fresh lime gets you there without buying another bottle.

Cointreau – an orange liqueur, and the one I’d actually spend money on here. Triple sec works, but it’s sweeter and flatter, so the drink loses its edge.

Cranberry juice – you want the sweetened cocktail kind, not the bitter 100% juice. It’s there for colour and a little sweetness, not to turn the drink into a juice box.

Fresh lime juice – squeezed the same day. Bottled lime juice tastes cooked and the whole drink goes dull.

How to make Cosmopolitan

1.Chill the glass. Put a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for 10 minutes, or fill it with ice and water while you mix.
2.Pour the vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime juice into the shaker.
3.Add the ice last, so nothing melts while you measure.
4.Seal and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker frosts over.
5.Empty the glass if it had ice water in it. Double strain the drink into it, through the shaker’s strainer and a fine sieve.
6.Garnish with a lime wheel on the rim, or twist a strip of lime or orange peel over the surface and drop it in.

Why the ice goes in last

Measure everything into the shaker first, then add the ice. If the ice sits in the shaker while you fiddle with the jigger, it starts melting into nothing, and that water ends up in your glass before you’ve shaken at all. Ice last, then shake hard and straight away. Ten to fifteen seconds is enough: you want it ice cold and slightly diluted, not watery.

Double straining

A Cosmopolitan should be clear and still, no ice shards floating on top. Pour through the shaker’s strainer and a small fine sieve held over the glass at the same time. It takes two extra seconds and the drink looks like it came from a bar.

Chill the glass

Freezer for ten minutes, or fill the glass with ice and water while you mix. A warm glass takes the edge off the drink in under a minute, and the edge is the point of a Cosmopolitan.

FAQ

Can I use triple sec instead of Cointreau?

Yes. Use the same amount. Expect a sweeter, softer drink; you can pull the cranberry back to 25 ml to compensate.

Can I make it without a shaker?

A jam jar with a tight lid works. Strain through a small sieve.

Why is mine pale instead of pink?

Too little cranberry, or you’re using 100% unsweetened juice, which is darker and much more sour. Cocktail cranberry juice gives the classic pink.

Does it have to be served straight up?

It’s meant to be, in a chilled martini or coupe glass. If you’d rather have it on ice, that’s fine, but shake it a little less so it doesn’t end up over-diluted.