Brandy Sour - Cypriot Style!
Although most people think of Ouzo when they think of Greece there are other drinks and beverages which one could associate with the island country. As with many areas in Greece, the island of Cyprus (Southern Cypress is Greek; Northern is Turkish) has seen many civilizations come and go and each has left some mark on the country including influences on food and beverage.
The island produces a very traditional drink called Commandaria a sweet dessert wine normally consumed after dinner. It also produces Zivania, a distilled wine normally used as an aperitif and thought to have been influenced by the Italians. But the drink more commonly thought of as the national drink is one that was introduced by the British, the Brandy Sour. The Cypriots, however, have made it their own by adjusting the recipe slightly and using local brandy.
Brandy Sour
In a tall glass half filled with ice add:
- 2 parts Cypriot Brandy
- 1 part fresh lemon or lime juice
- 1 - 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Top with soda water.
Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime, then sit back and enjoy the view of the sea!
This cocktail is often served with nuts or slices of raw carrot.
On our blog we’re cooking meals representative of every UN member nation and we recently cooked a meal that was supposed to represent Cyprus. On some websites, we found that this Brandy Sour was the “national drink” of Cyprus. I wonder how the Turkish Cypriots feel about that!
Anyways, we made it and loved it. I was surprised how much the Angostura Bitters changed the flavor structure.
A question: Is there any Cypriot brandy? We only found Metaxa, a Greek brandy.