Caju Amigo Recipe: Brazilian Cashew Fruit Drink

Caju Amigo

Cashew apple juice tastes like nothing else: tart, a little astringent, with notes of mango and bell pepper. Mixed with cachaça and a touch of sugar over ice, it becomes a refreshing, slightly exotic long drink.

3.6Editors’ rating

Taste3.7

Balance3.6

Easy to make2.3

Popularity6

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GlassHighball glass

TechniqueBuilt in the glass

DifficultyEasy

Time3 min

StrengthLight (approx. 10 % ABV)

OriginBrazil

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Ingredients

1¾ oz cachaça or vodkae.g. Ypióca · Leblon · Sagatiba · Velho Barreiro · Pitú
4 oz cashew apple juice ready to drink; dilute concentrate first
¼ oz lime juice freshly squeezed
1 tsp sugar
1 cashew apple in syrup plus a barspoon of its syrup (optional)

Garnish: Candied cashew fruit (optional) · Ice: Ice cubes

Method

Fill a highball glass with ice.
Add cachaça, cashew juice, lime juice and sugar.
Stir with a bar spoon until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the cashew fruit and a little of its syrup if you have it.
Stir once more and serve.

Watch it made

Caju Amigo

Taste

Tart and fruity with a slightly dry, tannic edge from the cashew fruit. Light to medium strength.

History and origin

Caju is the Portuguese name for the cashew apple, the fleshy fruit that grows above the cashew nut. In northeastern Brazil the fruit is eaten fresh, candied in syrup and pressed into a juice that is sold everywhere. Caju Amigo, meaning cashew friend, pairs this juice with cachaça.

In Brazilian bars the name has also been used for a simple ritual: a shot of cachaça followed by a piece of candied cashew fruit. The mixed version on ice is a natural extension of that pairing. It has no single inventor and belongs to the broad family of Brazilian batidas and cachaça highballs built on local fruit. Vodka is a common substitute where cachaça is hard to find.

Bartender tips

Cashew juice concentrate is sold in Brazilian and Latin American shops; dilute it before measuring.
The fruit's dryness pairs best with unaged cachaça.
If the juice tastes too astringent, add a little more sugar rather than more lime.

Variations

Classic shot pairing: Serve a small glass of cachaça with a piece of candied cashew fruit on the side.
Batida de Caju: Blend cachaça, cashew juice, sugar and ice for a frozen, frothy version.