We all hear about cooking “fresh and local.” Various people gain credit for the start of the locavore movement, and, while I mean no disrespect to folks in California, the trend began long ago and far away.
Brandy is distilled wine and the Spanish love brandies of all sorts. Wine was first distilled about the year 800AD and by 1300AD medicinal distillations were being formulated in Spain. It was the Dutch who initially began the commercial trade and traffic in distilled wines. In the 1600s there was trade and demand. And expense.
The Spanish conquistadors in South America wanted brandy and they did not want the expense of buying in Europe and transporting across the Atlantic. As soon as grapes were available in South America, distillation began. Pisco is a brandy created in Bolivia, Peru and Chile and was so important as to once be considered sacred. Pisco means “flying bird” in native language and the Pisco Sour reigns as the dominant cocktail in Peru.
By itself, pisco can stand on par with rocket fuel. So mixing with fruit juice and sweeteners is a wise tempering path. Besides the icon Pisco Sour, you’ll find recipes in abundance for Pisco Punch. Here’s mine, one where the “proportions” have been rounded to simple numbers so that when you are making a second or third round, you do not have to think. By Round Three, you should be able to pour, but thinking may be cloudy. And, please if you do make it to Round Three, do not drive. You’ll feel jolly and mellow but your car competence will be compromised.
Brian’s Pisco Punch
Yield: 1 very large or 2 medium cocktails
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces Pisco
- 2 ounces Triple Sec
- 2 ounces pineapple Juice
- 2 ounces orange juice
- 2 ounces agave
- Juice of 2 limes
Preparation:
Put all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well, at least 30 seconds. Pour into a glass and top off with ice. The glass can be garnished with lemon, orange, or lime slices.
Source:Brian O'Rourke
Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 60mm Macro Lens, F/4.5 for 1/50th second at ISO‑640