Carnival Cosmo

Welcome back to the party! Last week I kicked off the first-ever Come-As-You-Are-ty! In case you missed the start of my little celebration, you can check it out here. Today I’m wrapping it up with the Carnival Cosmo recipe that I promised you.

Just to recap, my Come-As-You-Are-ty was inspired by the philosophy of my friends over at Carnival Cruise Line. They happily welcome their guests to come on their vacations exactly as they are. Inspired by that brilliance, I created a celebration with the same theme. And, since all celebrations need a cocktail, in this post I’m showing you how to make one.

The Carnival Cosmo is Carnival’s take on the classic pink cosmopolitan that many of us have come to know and love. Carnival has taken it upon themselves to change up one ingredient to make this libation a bit more light and bright. (We will get to that in a second.) In case you haven’t been on a Carnival Cruise, bars dot the entire ship. Some are fancy, others are poolside, and there’s even one around a piano. Because I enjoy the art of crafting a delicious cocktail, when I’m on board, I like to visit all of the bars to check out their specialty drinks. (If you’ve been following IBC for some time, you probably already know this since I previously shared Carnival’s Tiramisu Martini and their Spicy Chipotle Pineapple Martini – still my favorite.)

On my most recent cruise, a couple whom I met at one of the bars told me about the Carnival Cosmo. I’d never tried it because I assumed it was a traditional cosmo. They explained that it’s not. Carnival uses limoncello instead of the usual triple sec (or orange liqueur). Limoncello is a lemon liqueur produced mainly in the south of Italy. Made from the zest of Femminello St. Teresa lemons, limoncello is often described as the “taste of a thousand lemons.” Basically, it’s deliciously smooth, concentrated lemonade.

As you might imagine, swapping out the orange liqueur, which can be a bit bitter, with something lighter and brighter really changes up this martini.

The Carnival Cosmo has the classic flavor you expect from a cosmo, but with a new twist. It’s what a cosmo that went on vacation would taste like. That seems about right given that it’s served on a cruise ship.

In light of all of that, I felt this was the ideal drink to serve at my Come-As-You-Are-ty. The color alone sealed the deal.

You probably won’t be surprised that the preparation is pretty simple. Just put all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain all that goodness into a martini glass and garnish with a lime. (And yes, shaking a martini is important, so don’t skip this step or opt for stirring.)

One other thing I like to always mention when talking about martinis is to be sure to use quality ingredients. The alcohol is the star of the show, and with only three ingredients, cheap booze will make a big difference.

Okay, I think we’re ready to get shaking!

Carnival Cosmo

makes one martini

Here’s what you will need:

• 3 ounces of vodka
• 1 ounce limoncello
• 1 ounce cranberry juice
• Wedge of lime, juiced
• Lime wheel to garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the vodka, limoncello, cranberry juice, and juice from a lime wedge. Shake vigorously.

Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Classic with a twist, and just how I like it! No matter if you’re on a ship or at a party, you’ll quickly feel celebratory with one of these in hand.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe and will give it a try at home. Thank you so much for being my Come-As-You-Are-ty guests. It’s been a pleasure.

For a closer look at all things Carnival and to see the variety of bars and libations on their ships, click on over to their website here.

Cheers!