- Brandy Sour (Cyprus)
The Brandy Sour is a mixed alcoholic
cocktail that has been cited as the national drink ofCyprus .cite web|title= Brandy Sour |url= http://www.northcyprusonline.com/North-Cyprus-Online-Cousine-Drinks-Brandy-Sour.php |work= North Cyprus Online.com |accessdate= 2007-10-23 ] cite web|title= Cyprus Travel Information |url= http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/cyprus/ |work= lonelyplanet.com |accessdate= 2007-10-24 ] While other forms of the Brandy Sour cocktail exist, the Cypriot variety is a distinct mixture, which only shares the basicbrandy andlemon flavourings with its homonyms from other cultures. Both brandy and lemons are among Cyprus's major exports, and both have distinctive Cypriot characteristics.History of the Brandy Sour
The Cypriot Brandy Sour style was developed following the introduction of the first blended brandy made on Cyprus, by the Haggipavlu family, in the early 1930s. The cocktail was developed at the Forest Park Hotel, in the hill-resort of
Plátres , for the young KingFarouk of Egypt , who often stayed at the hotel during his frequent visits to the island. The Brandy Sour was introduced as an alcoholic substitute foriced tea , as a way of disguising theMuslim monarch's preference for Western-style cocktails. The drink subsequently spread to other bars and hotels in the fasionable Platres area, before making its way to the coastal resorts ofLimassol ,Paphos andKyrenia , and the capitalNicosia . With increasing numbers of tourists visiting the island in the last thirty years, and the large garrison of British servicemen stationed on the island, the Cypriot Brandy Sour is now known around the world.Recipe and ingredients
A typical recipe for a Cypriot Brandy Sour should include:
*2 measures Cypriot brandy (typically "KEO VSOP" or "Haggipavlu Anglias" brands)
*1 measure Cypriotlemon squash
*2-4 drops ofbitters ("Angostura" or Cypriot "Cock Drops" brands)
*Top up withlemonade orsoda water
*IceCocktail brandy produced in Cyprus is typically less strongly flavoured than cognac or armagnac, and most brands have a
caramel -biased aftertaste balance.cite web|title= A Survey of Brandy Producing Countries |url= http://www.foodreference.com/html/artbrandy.html |work= Foodreference.com |accessdate= 2007-10-24 ] Cyprus also produces distinctive, yellow-green coloured, bitter lemons — used by British authorLawrence Durrell for the title for his autobiographical novel "Bitter Lemons of Cyprus". These lemons are used locally to produce a bitter-sweet lemon cordial, which forms the sour and bitter base for the Brandy Sour cocktail. Bitters are added to taste, and while the locally produced "Cock Drops" brand is widely available on the island, the internationally-recognised "Angostura" brand is increasingly used both on Cyprus and elsewhere. These ingredients are added to a tall glass and stirred, before the glass is topped up with lemonade (for a classic, slightly sweeter drink) or soda water (for less sweetness and a more pronounced brandy flavour) and plenty of ice.References
ee also
*
Cyprus brandy
*Sour (cocktail)
*Brandy Daisy
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