Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, developed this version of a classic Brazilian Caipirinha made with cachaça (sugarcane rum). Freeman's adaptations include substituting kumquats for the usual limes and sweetening the drink with turbinado sugar, whose rough crystals help break up the kumquats. He also adds a soy-caramel sauce—which gives the drink a salty-sweet depth—but it can be omitted. If you do opt to make the sauce, note that you'll end up with more than you need for the drink, but it keeps in the refrigerator for up to a month.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 1

　　

For soy-caramel sauce:

1 cup sugar

　　1 tablespoon light corn syrup

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　

For Caipirinha:

1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) fresh lemon juice

　　1 heaping teaspoon raw sugar such as turbinado or Demerara

　　6 kumquats, cut in half widthwise and seeded

　　1/4 cup (2 ounces) cachaca

　　1 cup ice cubes

　　

Make soy-caramel sauce:

Step 1

In heavy 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan over moderately low heat, stir together sugar and 1/2 cup water until well combined. Heat until sugar melts, then simmer mixture, uncovered, without stirring, until medium caramel color, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in corn syrup. Cool 3 minutes, then stir in soy sauce. Cool completely. (Sauce can be made ahead and stored, tightly covered, at room temperature up to 1 month.)

　　

Make Caipirinha:

Step 2

Pour 1/4 teaspoon soy-caramel sauce into bottom of 10-ounce glass (such as double old-fashioned). Set aside.

　　

Step 3

In cocktail shaker, stir together lemon juice and sugar. Add kumquats and, using wooden muddler or spoon, pound and press until kumquats are crushed. Add cachaca and ice cubes and shake vigorously for 5 seconds. Pour (unstrained) into glass with soy-caramel sauce.