My Peruvian girlfriend recently introduced me to the most refreshing Summer cocktail: the Chilcano. The Chilcano is a cocktail that has risen in popularity in Peru in the last few years. I’d never tried one before. Now I am hooked. So naturally I want to share it with my girlfriends.
The proper name for the drink is Chilcano de Pisco. Not to be confused with a Pisco sour, a Chilcano is a simple drink to make: you just pour the ingredients over ice and stir. How easy is that? Even better, you only need five ingredients, four of which most of us already have on hand: fresh juice from a lime, ginger ale, sparkling water, and ice.
All the ingredients to make a Chilcano de Pisco
The most important ingredient is obtaining Pisco from Peru. Pisco is a grape brandy. It is distilled from fresh wine specially selected for the making of Pisco and it’s alcohol content is never reduced by adding water after distillation. Because of this, Pisco from Peru is always transparent. The name Pisco comes from a town on the coast of Peru. My girlfriend is very passionate about the fact Pisco is a Peruvian invention. One of the things I love most about her is her Peruvian pride and her eagerness to share her culture.
My girlfriend brings a few bottles of Pisco back from Peru whenever she visits. Sarcay de Azpitia is her favorite. But if you want to make a Chilcano and have no plans to visit Peru anytime soon, our local liquor outlet carries Pisco Porton and I’m told that is the next best thing.
A variety of Pisco options from Peru
Back to the Chilcano. There are many ways to make it, but this is my girlfriend’s tried and true recipe for a skinny Chilcano.
- Add ice to a cocktail glass.
- Squeeze half a lime over the ice.
- Pour Pisco over the ice and lime juice. The exact amount is at your discretion but we poured enough Pisco to top the ice.
- Add sparkling water (we used San Pellegrino) to the glass. The amount can vary. We used a 2:1 ratio of Pisco to sparkling water.
- Finally, add a splash of ginger ale to your concoction. Add more, if you like, to achieve your desired sweetness.
- Stir and enjoy!
Enjoy the last days of Summer!
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