Drinks Cocktails Rum Cocktails Meyer Lemon and Strawberry Caipirinha Be the first to rate & review! This fruity twist on Brazil’s national cocktail features ruby-red strawberries and fragrant Meyer lemons. By Junior Borges Junior Borges For more than 20 years, chef Junior Borges has pioneered an approach to Brazilian food in the United States that elevates the nation’s African history. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Borges moved to New York in 1999, where he began working in restaurants. He attended the French Culinary Institute and worked at a number of fine dining restaurants before moving to Dallas in 2014, where he was the opening executive chef of that city’s outpost of Uchi. He most recently headed up the kitchen at Meridian, a fine-dining restaurant where the menu centered Borges’ personal approach to Brazilian food. In 2023, Borges founded his own hospitality group, Borges Hospitality. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 9, 2024 Tested by Nicole Hopper Tested by Nicole Hopper Nicole Hopper is a recipe tester and developer based in Birmingham, Alabama. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Total Time: 3 mins Servings: 1 drink Jump to recipe The caipirinha wouldn’t exist without the millions of Africans who toiled under brutal conditions on the nation’s sugarcane farms to produce the foundation of cachaça, Brazil’s prized distilled spirit. Acclaimed New York chef and Rio de Janeiro native Junior Borges adds Meyer lemon juice and muddled strawberries to this classic drink for a beautiful and refreshing cocktail. While the recipe below is for a single serving drink, the ingredients could easily be scaled up for a crowd if you switch from shaking to stirring and build the drink in a pitcher instead. Fresh and fruity with nice pieces of muddled berries, this is the perfect cocktail to ring in the start of summer. Frequently Asked Questions Is cachaça same as rum? Cachaça is not just a distilled spirit made from fresh sugarcane juice, but an important part of Brazilian culture. Rum, on the other hand, is made from molasses, a byproduct of crystallized sugar from sugarcane juice. Despite the fact that it has only recently started gaining popularity stateside, cachaça is the world's third-most-produced spirit (preceded only by vodka and rum). What is special about Meyer lemons? On first glance, you’ll notice that Meyer lemons don’t look exactly like regular Eureka lemons. By comparison, Meyer lemons are much smaller and have a golden yellow rind. Cut into one, and you’ll smell their perfumelike aroma. Their gentle, floral scent is just a preview of what they’ll taste like. Meyer lemons are sweeter and less tart than the lemons you’ll find year-round at the grocery store, which is why we love them for baking and cocktail-making. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Cachaça can be found at most liquor stores or online at chipsliquor.com. Make ahead Strawberries can be cleaned and hulled and lemons can be juiced up to one day in advance. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 5 small strawberries, hulled (about 3/4 cup) 1 ounce fresh Meyer lemon juice (juice from 1 whole Meyer lemon) 5 teaspoons granulated sugar 5 ounces cachaça (such as Germana Soul) 1 Meyer lemon wheel, for garnish Directions Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Muddle together just enough to break down strawberries and macerate with sugar. Add cachaça and ice, and the shaker. Shake vigorously until well chilled and sugar has time to incorporate, about 15–20 seconds. Strain drink into a rocks glasses filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon slice. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, May 2024 Rate It Print