The Cosmopolitan traces its roots firmly in the mid 90’s in the peak of Madonna’s career where she was spotted drinking one at Dale DeGroff’s Rainbow Room club in New York City. It’s now considered by many to be the second most recognized cocktail in the world, right after the Martini.

One of my favorite “twists” to put into a drink is to make it with the freshest, high-quality ingredients possible, one of them being organic unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate. You can find unsweetened cranberry juice syrup in most health food stores (for the life of me, I don’t know why Whole Food’s doesn’t carry it.) Or you can buy it online here.

The tart unsweetened cranberry juice goes wonderfully with fresh-squeezed organic limes and Cointreau (a popular orange flavor liquor). Use the cleanest tasting vodka you can to allow these simple and delicious ingredients to shine through.

4 ounces of high quality Vodka
1 ounce of Cointreau
1/2 to 1 ounce of Organic Unsweetened Cranberry Juice Syrup
use more if you want a bolder ruby red color
1/2 ounce of fresh squeezed organic lime juice

Shake the ingredients longer than usual with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Do not garnish this drink, let the bold color of the cranberry juice shine through.

I was drinking Cosmopolitans from the very beginning in 1995 at a friends memorial, a gorgeous young man by the name of Bill Gaudiani who was a personal trainer, model and graphic design student. He died from a fatal car accident on Christmas day, and every time I drink one of these I think of him. Cheers Bill.