The tart wife

Bartending can turn into a menial job. After a few months, you know the recipes by heart; since I’m at a Mexican restaurant, I make the same margaritas night after night. I don’t have to think anymore…just give me the bottles and I’ll pour the right amounts out of pure muscle memory.

Once settled into a routine, it’s little details that can keep the job interesting. For me, it’s been two: continuing to practice latte art with the espresso machine, and coming up with the occasional new cocktail for the regulars.

My most popular off-the-menu cocktail is a passion caipirina. I’ve noticed that the cocktails I make tend to hide the punch of alcohol and turn the drink into something super easy to sip. This passion caipirina is no exception, and customers usually down the glass fast. It is however on the tart side, and I felt compelled to warn a table once about it.

“If you’re looking for something different,” I said after they grilled me on every cocktail on the menu, “I could always make a passion caipirina. But, I must warn you that it is quite tart.”

“Tart? Well, it’ll be just like my wife.”

Dead silence on the table of two couples dining together. Finding nothing better to say, I go back and make the drinks. As the night wears on, the tart wife watches in silent horror her husband pound back five passion caipirinas while all she has is a glass of red.

Passion Caipirina
60ml of cachaza
20-25 grams of passion fruit puree
10-20 ml of simple syrup (depends on the passion fruit)
1/2 lime cut into small pieces

Pour all the ingredients into a heavy glass and muddle everything. Top the glass with crushed ice, and more cachaza if you want.