Pineapple Mint Caipirinha Brazilian Pineapple Mojito

Pineapple Mint Caipirinha Brazilian Pineapple Mojito ~ Refreshing drink from Brazil, a combination of sugar, pineapple, mint, and Cachaça (a Brazilian rum).
When I decide I am ready to do something new, I usually jump right in and don’t look back. I am determined (or stubborn) like that. However, I am often slow to get new things moving. I’m a dip my toe in first, feel things out, and then when I have researched it from all angles, thoroughly done a pro/con list, mentally exhausted myself from thinking about it, I take that toe out, climb up as high as I can and jump. Once that jump happens, there is no stopping me (until I collapse in exhaustion).

This aspect of my personality isn’t limited to just business ventures, but all areas of my life, from raising my daughter, to my college education, my dating life (although this part does take more than my own determination), and learning new things. At times, I can become hyper-focused, and for this A.D.D. girl, that’s saying something.

A lot of different things have been swirling around my universe lately, some I have readily and eagerly started and others have taken much pontification. There are a lot of changes brewing for me at once. Here’s just a few of them:

• Getting an assistant, or a virtual assistant as they are known in the online realm. My sister-in-law Lindsay came on-board to help handle my online workload. It’s been a steep learning curve for her at times and rather dull and tedious at others. Handing off some of my responsibility to her was probably the single hardest thing I have done yet to date with TCS. It’s hard for me to accept I need help, and cannot do it all myself. This was also the best thing I could have done. I am not Superwoman (all the time) and her help has been incredibly valuable, both mentally and monetarily. Bonus perk is that there is finally someone in my family who truly has insight into what my profession is like, as most don’t fully understand.
• Finally going to get that ebook off the ground, something that has been on my to-do list for eons now, with the help of David of Food N Service. I’ll be putting together new recipes that won’t be available anywhere else but in this book!
• Teaching private cooking classes for 10-12 people several times month. Getting all the legal T’s crossed and I’s dotted has taken a bit of time, but happy to say I am almost ready to go forward. These will be hands-on, each ‘student’ will be involved in the cooking process instead of just attending a demonstration. Can you say INSURANCE??!!
• Small group (20 people) guided Food Tour of Italy is also off the ground. My best friend Darla, who owns Blue Breeze Travel, has worked TIRELESSLY for over a year with her Italian travel co-hort Moreno to get this all worked out. The trip will officially be launched later this week at the Everything Food Conference in Salt Lake City. Outside my role as a supporting/encouraging/loving best friend, I have helped with writing/editing of the Italian materials and will be promoting the trip–and then taking it myself. It’s 12 days, but 10 days of intense emersion of all things culinary and cultural in Rome, Florence, and Venice. (Click that big ole link to see the trip itinerary.)
• There are a few more things brewing, but for now, it’s best I keep those under wraps until I have sorted out the details a bit better. Plus, reading the above exhausts me from thinking I can actually do more, but I can, and always do.

Now, after reading all of that, if you’re left wondering what in the hell does all that have to do with this cocktail she’s posted. Well, I’m getting there. I am not a bartender by any stretch of the means. Despite being 40, I have only had maybe 10 years of on-and-off wine and cocktail drinking under my belt, and if we take those ten years, it’s mostly been the last 6 or 7. I am happy to order something fun off a menu, defer to whomever I am with to pick something, or “allow” (read require) them to make something for me in my own home. Until recently, I was happy to defer this to Darla, Matthew, and others because booze is expensive and who wants to waste it? It’s best to leave it to those who know what they were doing.

Then, as these things happen, I decided I wanted to actually learn and gain some skills. I started researching various spirits and wines (research is my thing, give me a topic and let me run with it) and then started working first with classic tried-and-true recipes then moved onto more adventurous pairings, much like I do with food. Happy to report very few drinks have been so appalling that they’ve had to be dumped down the drain. But not all have been found ‘worthy’ to end up here. However, the process of learning has been incredibly fun.

When a friend was over working on the Pineapple Upside Down Cake, which is part of my unofficial Pineapple Series, along with my Frozen Pineapple Margarita, he told me about this refreshing beverage he grew up drinking, a simple blend of pineapple, mint, water, and sugar. It sounded good to me, and I had enough pineapple left from the other 5 or so recipes I made for this “series” to make his drink. He said that there is an adult version as well, where Cachaça is added.

Cachaça is a Brazilian rum. I was very eager to try the drink before the mention of Cachaça, but after, well, needless to say, I took myself off to the liquor store immediately and got a bottle. I purchased LeBlon Cachaça (this is not a post sponsored by them). When I shared the drink with Matthew, he tasted it and said, “it’s basically a pineapple mojito.” And he’s right, it is. A very delicious one.

If you want to keep it family friendly, simply omit the Cachaça. If you add the Cachaça, drink responsibly.

I agree, easy to make and delicious to drink. Just chill it well before serving, as it is best COLD.

Pineapple Mint Caipirinha Brazilian Pineapple Mojito

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Brazilian

Servings: 6

Author: Michelle De La Cerda

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Ingredients

• 1 Fresh pineapple , peeled, cored, and chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar +/- to taste; depending on the ripeness of the pineapple
• 20 medium sized mint leaves; cleaned and de-stemed (more for optional garnish)
• 6 oz LeBlon Cachaça

Instructions

1. Prepare the pineapple and place it in a blender, add the sugar and water.
2. Puree until smooth, or mostly smooth.
3. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, using a spoon to press all the liquid out from the pulp.
4. Discard the pulp.
5. Return the juice to the blender, it's alright if there is a bit of pulp remaining in the blender, and add the mint leaves.
6. Pulse blend until all the leaves have chopped and been mixed thoroughly into the juice.
7. Cover, and for best results, let chill over night, but at least several hours before serving.
8. When ready to serve, pour equal amounts into 6 glasses, add one ounce of Cachaça to each glass and gently mix.
9. Garnish with a mint leaf (optional), serve, and enjoy responsibly.

Recipe Notes

To make this family friendly, simply omit the Cachaça. But follow the rest of the directions, including the chill time.
If you cannot find Cachaça, you can use white rum or vodka, both will yield a variation on taste from the Cachaça, but will still be delicious.

Thank you for sharing!