Chronicle Editor
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
THE year is 2022 and the cocktail scene is rapidly changing in the country, if not the world.
There are a lot of cocktail options out there and this week, thanks to the innovation of local steak house Carne Casa, we introduce a unique cocktail – blended with immense traditions and culture from Brazil and of course Zimbabwe.
Coined the Cacha, a name ironically derived from a Brazilian beverage Cachaca, a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice, the cocktail is the ultimate summer drink.
“Basically, Brazil is made up of a blend European, African and native Indian cultures, this is not limited only to the social culture but extends to the food and beverage culture,” says the establishment’s bartender George Ngwabi.
Cacha is a sweet and flavourful cocktail with a hint of sweetness from granadilla and syrup.
The drink is a mixture of four liquors – rum, vodka, gin and cane spirit carefully blended with crushed ice, granadilla, syrup and sugar.
It also carries a vibrant yellow summer colour from the cordial mix that brightens when diluted with ice.
“Because of this, it’s proven to be an especially popular drink with the ladies. We don’t blame them, it’s a famous starter drink in that it’s a cold and refreshing easy-to-drink libation,” says Ngwabi.
He notes that the signature to the drink is its soft slushy outlook.
Going back to history Ngwabi said:
“For more than four centuries of history, Cachaca has accumulated synonyms and creative nicknames coined by the Brazilian people. Some of these words were created for the purpose of deceiving the supervision of the metropolis in the days when Cachaca was banned in Brazil.
“The beverage was competing with the European distillate grappa. There are more than two thousand words to refer to the Brazilian national distillate. Some of these nicknames are: abre-coracao (heart-opener), agua-benta (holy water), bafo-de-tigre (tiger breath), and limpa-olho (eye-wash).”
“A good liquor will always shine through in a cocktail! We recommend a fairly priced. If you’re looking to improve or elaborate the cocktail further, we recommend some variations.
“Adding lime juice, as some people do, can add a refreshing and tart component. Many bartenders or mixologists love to add soda water or ginger ale for some bubbles and a little more complexity.
“Cachaca in Brazil is similar to our Kachasu in Zimbabwe, our version of Cacha brings the blend of that beverage tradition from Brazil and Zimbabwe with a Carne touch,” adds Ngwabi.
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