Cosmopolitan with an organic hibiscus tea twist

Think Sex and the City and you’ll think of a Cosmopolitan cocktail. The original drink is generally credited to Cheryl Cook, a mixologist in South Florida, who was challenged to come up with a drink to showcase the new Absolut Citron vodka back in the 1980s. Apparently Cheryl’s original recipe was, and I quote, “Absolut Citron, a splash of triple sec, a drop of roses lime and just enough cranberry to make it oh so pretty in pink.”

However, bartenders are tinkerers at heart and a Manhattan bartender, Toby Cecchini, is credited with what is now seen as the “standard” Cosmopolitan.

Now, having been a cocktail bartender myself, back in the day, I couldn’t resist a little tweaking myself. I decided to put an aromatherapy twist on the Cosmo – and here we have it, with our organic hibiscus tea replacing the standard cranberry juice. The hibiscus tea creates a darker pink colour and a slightly sweeter note. Hope you enjoy!

3 parts vodka, ideally a citron one
1 part Cointreau or Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
1-2 parts cold organic hibiscus tea
splash of fresh lime juice (or lime cordial if you like yours a touch sweeter)

Chuck all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a classic art deco style cocktail glass garnished with a lemon slice or a twist of lemon peel.

Then kick back and admire your heels as you sip your Cosmo with a twist.