Ouzini (Cyprus Cocktail)

Ouzini

Type	Cocktail
Primary alcohol by volume	Ouzo
Served	On the rocks; poured over ice
Standard drinkware	Highball glass
Commonly used ingredients	2.5 cl (one part) Cyprus ouzo 7.5 cl (three parts) fresh orange juice 2-4 drops of bitters
Preparation	Shake ouzo and fresh orange juice vigorously together, pour into glass over ice, and add dash of bitters. Garnish with a thin orange slice and serve.

The Ouzini is a mixed alcoholic cocktail invented ^[1]by the writer Michael Paraskos as an alternative national drink of Cyprus to the ubiquitous Brandy Sour.^[2]

Using only native Cypriot ingredients, including Cypriot ouzo, the drink was invented in response to a campaign launched in 2014 by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation to encourage restaurants in Cyprus to offer customers Cypriot cuisine.^[3] According to Paraskos the drink tastes 'like liquid aniseed balls', referring to the traditional boiled sweet, and is ideal for a hot Cypriot evening before dinner.'^[4]

The drink also features heavily in Michael Paraskos's novel In Search of Sixpence.^[5]

References

1. "A perfect sundowner to replace the tired old brandy sour". Cyprus Mail. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
2. Lucie Robson, 'A good story will be the Ouzini's strongest ingredient', in The Cyprus Weekly (Cyprus newspaper), 1 May 2015
3. Evie Andreou, 'A foodie destination', in The Cyprus Mail (Cyprus newspaper), 3 August 2014
4. Michael Paraskos, 'A perfect sundowner to replace the tired old brandy sour', in The Cyprus Mail (Cyprus newspaper), 19 April 2015
5. Michael Paraskos, In Search of Sixpence (London: Friction Fiction)