Saludos Amigos Movie Night: Beverages
“A new day's waiting to start, you must meet it, wake up and greet it”--
Saludos Amigos (Saludos Amigos)
It’s time to reveal the cocktail, mocktail, and shot I created to pair with Saludos Amigos! For those who are new here, I create food and drinks inspired by Disney animated movies as I make my way through them in chronological order.
Since Saludos Amigos takes us on a journey through South America, I wanted each of these drinks to incorporate flavors, colors, or traditions inspired by the places featured in the movie.
Carioca Caipirinha
I can’t take credit for creating this cocktail because the Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil! I chose it because part of Saludos Amigos takes place in Brazil, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally make one.
I had never tried an authentic Caipirinha before, but since I love lime, I had a feeling this drink would be for me. I used minimal sugar because I prefer a tart drink. If you like your cocktails on the sweeter side, you’ll definitely want to add a little more sugar to balance the lime.
Recipe
2 oz Cachaça
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 tsp sugar
Ice, preferably smaller cubes
Place the lime wedges and sugar in your glass.
Muddle the lime and sugar together.
Fill the glass with ice.
Pour the Cachaça over the ice.
Stir everything together. Don’t miss this step!
Aquarela de Frutas Mocktail
While researching drink inspiration, I came across the Aquarela de Frutas, a Brazilian mocktail that immediately caught my attention. Traditional versions use fresh juices and fresh passion fruit, but I wanted to create an easy at-home version using ingredients that would be a little simpler to find.
I thought this drink was a perfect representation of the vibrant colors and tropical flavors of Brazil. The grenadine swirling through the drink also creates a beautiful watercolor effect, which makes the name even more fitting.
Recipe
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz passion fruit juice
½ oz lime juice
1 oz coconut water
Splash of grenadine
Crushed ice
Combine the pineapple juice, passion fruit juice, lime juice, and coconut water in a shaker with ice.
Shake well.
Pour into a clear glass filled with crushed ice.
Slowly pour in a splash of grenadine and watch it swirl through the drink like watercolors.
Saludos Shot
My original vision for this shot was completely different from what I ultimately created. I wanted to make a layered shot with each layer representing one of the key places featured in Saludos Amigos. Unfortunately, there is one very important part of creating layered shots: paying attention to the sugar content and density of each ingredient.
I miscalculated. After MANY failed attempts at changing the order and trying to convince these ingredients to cooperate, I finally accepted that my beautifully layered vision was not going to happen. Instead, I mixed everything together and ended up with a deep, vibrant color that still felt perfect for the movie. Each ingredient represents a different part of the journey. The pineapple juice represents the tropical atmosphere of Brazil, the Chambord represents the Andes, and the Blue Curaçao represents Lake Titicaca.
Recipe
½ oz pineapple juice
½ oz Chambord
½ oz Blue Curaçao
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
Shake until chilled.
Strain into a shot glass.
Three very different drinks inspired by one colorful journey through South America! Whether you want a classic Brazilian cocktail, a fruity alcohol-free option, or a colorful shot inspired by the different destinations in the movie, there’s something to sip while watching Saludos Amigos.
