Frozen Caipirinha Food

FROZEN BASIL-MINT CAIPIRINHA

Steps:

• Remove 2 wide strips zest from the lime with a vegetable peeler; set aside. Cut the lime in half; thinly slice one half and cut the remaining half into 4 wedges for garnish.
• Bring 1/3 cup water and the sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat; add 1/2 cup each basil and mint and the lime slices and let cool completely.
• Transfer the herb syrup to a blender and blend until the herbs are finely chopped (the limes will still be mostly intact). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Freeze until slushy, about 2 hours.
• Combine the cachaça, limeade concentrate, lime zest, the remaining 1/2 cup each basil and mint and the frozen herb syrup in a blender. Add 5 cups ice and blend until thick and slushy; gradually add up to 1 more cup ice if needed. Pour into glasses and garnish each with a lime wedge.

MANGO LIME CAIPIRINHA

Steps:

• Cut each lime into wedges. Put 4 wedges in a short rocks glass. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and muddle with a bar tool "muddler" (or use a spoon or pestle). Add a splash of mango nectar, to taste. Fill the glass with ice and pour 2 ounces of cachaca over the ice. Garnish with slice of mango and a lime wedge. Repeat to make 3 more drinks.

CAIPIRINHA (BRAZIL)

Steps:

• Cut the limes in half, and then cut each half into 8 pieces. Place 12 pieces of lime in each of 4 double old-fashioned glasses (or other 12-ounce glasses.) Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar into each glass. Using a muddler or the butt end of a large wooden spoon, mash the limes into the base of the glass. Try to dissolve the sugar as you do this, and stir occasionally. Fill each glass with 1 1/2 cups of ice and 1/4 cup of cachaca. Pour the contents of the glass into a shaker, and invert the glass into the shaker to act as a lid. Shake the glass and shaker to combine the sugar and cachaca for several seconds. Lift the glass from the shaker, and pour the contents back into the glass. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 glasses.