In the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s more important than ever to stay home—for the time being—in order to “flatten the curve” of the virus’s spread. Still, there are a number of ways you can imitate the joys of travel from the confines of your home: Take a virtual museum tour! Watch a wildlife webcam! Catch up on international films! Master a dish inspired by your global adventures (now is the time for those travelers’ cookbooks to shine). If you’re feeling super creative, you can even humorously recreate your canceled trip as this traveler did for AFAR.
Of course, all of these activities could be enhanced with a tasty cocktail in hand. Here are some delicious drinks from around the world to try your hand in mixing while you social distance.
Pimm’s Cup
From: United Kingdom
The Pimm’s Cup has been touted as the summer cocktail by Brits, likely because the drink is like a spiked fruit salad. Some bartenders add a few drops of Sprite or ginger beer instead of lemonade, but every version is incredibly refreshing to sip.
(MAKES 1 COCKTAIL)
Based on recipe from Pimm’s
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Pimm’s No.1
5 ounces of lemonade
1 slice strawberry, orange, and cucumber
Mint sprig to garnish
MAKE IT
Add all ingredients into a glass over ice and stir to combine. Garnish with a mint sprig.
The Singapore Sling is a gin-based cocktail that was developed by a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore in 1915.
Photo by Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock
Singapore Sling
From: Singapore
When the Singapore Sling was created in 1915, it was frowned upon for women in Singapore to drink alcohol in public. At the luxury Raffles Hotel in Singapore, bartender Ngiam Tong Boon would often serve a woman fruit juice instead of a cocktail until, one night, he realized he could create a drink that looked like juice for women who wanted to join in on the fun. To make it, he mixed gin with pineapple juice, grenadine, lime juice, Cointreau, Benedictine, and a dash of cherry brandy to boost the juicelike color. The drink soon became popular among more than just the women in the room—and now it’s the national drink of Singapore.
(MAKES 1 COCKTAIL)
Based on recipe from the Raffles Hotel in Singapore
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce Cherry Heering
1/4 ounce Cointreau
1/4 ounce Benedictine
1/4 ounce lime juice
1/3 ounce grenadine
MAKE IT
Combine all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a tall glass tumbler filled with ice. Garnish with a cherry and pineapple slice. Add a dash of bitters (optional).
Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail, made with cachaça, sugar, and lime.
Photo by lazyllama/Shutterstock
Caipirinha
From: Brazil
Cachaça, a rum-like distilled liquor made from fresh sugarcane juice, has been produced in Brazil since the 1880s. While it can be enjoyed neat, it is most commonly used as the base for Caipirinha, Brazil’s national drink. The origins of this cocktail are often debated: Some locals believe that Caipirinha, which means “little peasant girl” in Portuguese, was created as a remedy for cholera in the mid-1800s. Others argue that it comes from the coastal region of Santos, where the first cachaça distilleries sprouted. The cocktail’s exact history is a mystery, but there’s no arguing that the mix is delightful.
(MAKES 1 COCKTAIL)
Based on recipe from Pitú
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces cachaça
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 lime
MAKE IT
Cut lime into small pieces and place in old-fashioned cocktail glass. Add sugar. Muddle lime and sugar with pestle. Fill glass with ice and add cachaça. Pour contents into a shaker, shake well, and return contents to glass.
Dark’n’Stormy
From: Bermuda
This two-ingredient cocktail was invented in Bermuda in the 1860s by the Gosling family (of Caribbean rum brand, Gosling’s Rum). After distilling their first dark rum, the family created a signature ginger beer. One fateful evening, the two Gosling libations were poured over ice and garnished with lime. The rest is history.
(MAKES 1 COCKTAIL)
Based on recipe from Gosling’s Rum
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 ounces rum
5 ounces ginger beer
MAKE IT
Pour ginger beer into tall glass filled with ice. Add rum.
Photo by Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock
Negroni
From: Italy
The inspiration for the Negroni came from an Italian cocktail known as the Americano, which is composed of composed of Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda. In 1919, however, a French general named Count Negroni thought that the drink wasn’t strong enough, and asked his bartender to add a touch of gin rather than soda to his mix. Ecco! The Negroni was born—and now it’s one of Italy’s most recognizable cocktails.
(MAKES 1 COCKTAIL)
Based on recipe from Campari
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce gin
1 ounce vermouth rosso (red vermouth)
Orange slice to garnish
MAKE IT
Stir liquid ingredients (chilled) and pour into an old-fashioned or “rocks” glass filled with ice. Add orange slice as garnish.
Paloma
From: Mexico
We know what you’re thinking: Isn’t the margarita the official drink of Mexico? While the margarita is widely consumed across the country, the Paloma is the true national drink. But, surprise! It’s not much different from a margarita. Skip the Cointreau, add a few new flavors to the mix, and you’ve got a truly authentic drink.
(MAKES 1 COCKTAIL)
Based on recipe developed by Don Julio
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 ounces tequila reposado
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 agave nectar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 splash soda water (or grapefruit soda)
Grapefruit peel or lime wedge to garnish
MAKE IT
Combine tequila reposado, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave nectar into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a glass over ice. Add soda water. Garnish with grapefruit peel or lime wedge.
This article originally appeared online in December 2016; it was updated on March 23, 2020, to include current information.
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