With countless summer trips being canceled due to the COVID-19 response, would-be travelers are looking for ways to scratch the wanderlust itch at home. This got me thinking about what we enjoy most about traveling: experiencing the local culture through food and drinks. We may not be able to go on many new trips at the moment, but we can still travel via our taste buds.
While my travel-inspired kitchen recipes are still under development, this quarantine has given me enough time to spend a lot of time making cocktails. Today, I want to share some of my favorite cocktail drinks from around the world!
Cuba Libre (Cuba)
Nothing beats a good ol’ rum and Coke. Any rum will do, but true Cubans will tell you that it is a sin to use any darker aged rums with mixers. The KISS method applies here: when it comes to cocktails just keep it simple, stupid. Stick with an inexpensive silver rum and Coca Cola. You get bonus points if you use the Coca Cola sweetened with sugar cane instead of high fructose corn syrup.
Kick back and enjoy this classic cocktail anytime & anywhere. Close your eyes after your first sip and you will swear that you can hear Havana’s buzz in the distance.
Ingredients
- 1 part silver rum
- 2 parts cola
- Garnish with: lime wedges
- Serve: on the rocks
Mojito (Cuba)
While Cuba may be known as the birthplace of the mojito, Puerto Ricans claim their rum makes the best version of it (they will also tell you Don Q is superior to Bacardi). Regardless of where you experienced your first mojito, I think we can all agree this drink is reminiscent of beach vacations and island living. This drink normally requires a lot of ice to combat the heat, which is why this recipe is heavy on the booze.
The ingredient list is short, but the preparation takes some time. If you subject your bartender to this mint picking & sugar muddling ritual, make sure to tip them well for their efforts.
Ingredients
- 2 parts silver rum
- 1 part soda water
- 1 teaspoon of sugar (per ounce of rum)
- 10 mint leaves
- Garnish: lime wedges
- Serve: over plenty of crushed ice
Negroni (Italy)
The Negroni is an Italian staple that can be made at home in a snap. Rumored to have been originally crafted as a stronger version of the Americano cocktail, this classic aperitivo represents a perfectly balanced glass of bitter & sweet tasting notes. I always make sure my home bar is stocked with good vermouth and Campari for whenever I want to enjoy the 100+ year old Italian cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 part gin
- 1 part sweet vermouth
- 1 part Campari
- Garnish with: an orange peel
- Serve: on the rocks
Aperol Spritz (Italy)
The Aperol Spritz, also called the Spritz Veneziano, may be the unofficial drink of European study abroad trips. The bright & bubbly orange cocktail is a common sight on rooftop bars and around pool clubs. This sparkling wine-based cocktail is fit for any true socialite: its blazing sunset-colored appearance announces its presence with reckless abandon. An Aperol Spritz will keep you looking and feeling cool no matter where you are sipping it.
Ingredients
- 2 parts Aperol
- 3 parts prosecco
- Splash of soda water
- Garnish with: an orange wedge
- Serve: on the rocks
Piscola (Chile)
Commonly found in the hands of Chilean partygoers, there is nothing more iconic than a quickly assembled cup of pisco & cola. Pisco is distilled with fermented grapes and is closely related to brandy, but it has a very distinct flavor. This uniquely Chilean drink is surprisingly balanced and has been the start of many fun nights in South America. Be warned: Peruvians don’t necessarily hold the piscola in as high regard as Chileans; I was once chastised in Peru for asking for a piscola in a highball glass.
Ingredients
- 1 part pisco
- 2 parts cola
- Garnish with: lime wedges
- Serve: on the rocks
Pisco Sour (Peru)
If you want to order pisco properly in Peru, a pisco sour is your gateway drug to the world of pisco cocktails. This alcoholic beverage is popular in Peru & Chile and prepared with lemon juice, sugar, and egg white like most other sours. Building this around pisco gives this sour a South American twist to transform your day.
Ingredients
- 2 parts pisco
- 1 part lemon juice
- 1 part simple syrup
- 1 egg white (per ounce of lemon juice)
- Garnish with: 3 drops of Angostura bitters on the surface of the foam
- Serve: straight up
Tinto de Verano (Spain)
The less complex brother of sangria. Tinto de verano is a wine-based cocktail that is perfectly suited for hot days outside on the patio. This drink’s name can be translated as “summer’s red wine” and combines equal parts of red table wine and lemon-lime soda. If you don’t have the traditional La Casera soda, you can substitute Fanta or even Sprite to give you a fizzy alternative to keep you cool & refreshed. No need to bust out the expensive wine for this; any table red will do.
Ingredients
- 1 part red wine
- 1 part lemon-lime soda
- Garnish with: a lemon wedge
- Serve: on the rocks
Sol y Sombro (Spain)
This Madrid favorite directly translates to “sun and shade”. With the clear anise liqueur representing the sun and the darker brandy playing the part of the shade, this simple cocktail combines two strong ingredients into a delectable after-dinner drink. I have always loved licorice, so this Spanish cocktail has quickly become a personal favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 part brandy
- 1 part anise liqueur
- Serve: straight up
Caipirinha (Brazil)
The national drink of Brazil is another drink that is perfectly at home on the beach. Whether you are soaking up the sun on Copacabana or just daydreaming on your coach, the caipirinha will transport you into full-on vacation mode. If you are not quite sure what cachaça is, you are not alone. Distilled with fermented sugar cane, unaged cachaça tastes like an earthy rum. Similar in taste to the rum-based daiquiri, the inoffensive caipirinha is well-loved by all who taste it.
Ingredients
- 1 part cachaça
- 1 teaspoon of sugar (per ounce of cachaça)
- Garnish with: lime wedges
- Serve: on the rocks
Maple Old-Fashioned (Canada)
The old-fashioned has taken the bar scene by storm in recent years. What was once a long-forgotten cocktail is now ordered by every 21-year old who has seen Mad Men. Want to shake it up? Substitute bourbon for a less sweet Canadian whiskey and replace sugar with maple syrup. The result is a richer, fuller cocktail that warms the soul. I imagine myself drinking one of these near a fireplace in a wood cabin as I watch the snow silently drift down outside of my window.
Ingredients
- 4 parts Canadian whiskey
- 1 part maple syrup (the real stuff!)
- 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
- Garnish with: an orange peel
- Serve: with a single ice ball
London Fog (England)
All of my favorite English cocktails start with a gin base. This London fog recipe uses two simple ingredients: London dry gin and pastis, which is an anise-based spirit that was popularized during a time when absinthe was banned in Europe. This cocktail blends gin’s botanical elements with the iconic black licorice flavor of anise liqueurs. This drink may sound like it’s coming from left field, but you may be surprised with the cocktail’s potential.
Ingredients
- 1 part London dry gin
- 1 part pastis (traditionally Pernod)
- Serve: straight up
