March 16th, 2010
Where Winter Meets Summer: The Moscow Mule!
Meet the Moscow Mule, my new favorite drink that has been around since the 1940s. It’s a tasty mix of vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice served on ice. The drink was created in Los Angeles, and is starting to show up on a lot of cocktail menus again. Surprisingly vodka was relatively unknown in the United States until 1942 when the owner of Smirnoff Vodka got together with his friend who was the owner of the Cock ‘n’ Bull British Pub in Los Angeles. It just so happened that the Cock ‘n’ Bull brewed their own ginger beer. Together they created the Moscow Mule. Traditionally served in a copper cup, the drink became all the rage at LA bars and across the country. In 1948, a New York food critic gave the Moscow Mule the following review: “the nicest thing about the mule is that it doesn’t make you noisy or argumentative, or quiet and sullen, but congenial and in love with the world.” I’ll drink to that!
Authentic Moscow Mule
The Moscow Mule
2 shots Vodka.
Juice from 1/2 a fresh lime.
Ginger Beer (to taste).
Squeeze the lime into a glass filled with ice, and then add the Vodka; finally, add Ginger Beer to taste.
Since the recipe is so easy, I’ve started making them at home too. Be sure to use a good quality vodka. I usually drink Ketel One or Effen, but was recently introduced to Tito’s Vodka. Trader Joe’s sells it for $16.99! It’s award-winning, and made in Austin, Texas of all places. Trust me, I know vodka, and it’s smooth. You’ll also need ginger beer which is priced at around $5.99 for a four-pack. The most readily available is Reed’s Jamaican Ginger Beer. Fever Tree also makes ginger beer and it’s my favorite. And, there is the original, from Cock ‘n’ bull. All three are available at BevMo in the soda/mixer section or can be ordered online. If you are hooked on details and authenticity, like myself, you can also buy copper cups from Ebay. Otherwise, you can serve the drink in an old fashioned glass. Cheers!
$5.99 at BevMo
