During our last time in Manhattan, we went to the Russian Tea Room and I was intrigued by what was served in the beautiful, shiny copper mugs. Let’s be honest, even though I bartended for several years, I had never heard of a Moscow Mule – it just isn’t on most cocktail menus in Raleigh. After researching Moscow Mule recipes, I learned the copper mugs helped brand the drink (like martini and margarita glasses do for their respective liquors), plus they helped keep it icy cold.

Something attracts me to copper and I’m not exactly sure what. Maybe it’s the warm, reddish-orange color, or perhaps its brilliant shine when highly polished. Regardless, I’ve been eyeing copper mugs since my visit to New York, but couldn’t reconcile the price of most of them until I found these two on clearance at a home goods store. Yaaay!

A traditional Moscow Mule is made of vodka, ginger beer (which is nonalcoholic, by the way) and freshly squeezed lime juice. According to an article on www.foodandwine.com, the Moscow Mule was created “in 1941 at the Cock ‘N’ Bull in Hollywood, [when] the bar owner found himself unable to sell either the cases of Smirnoff Vodka he had purchased or the bottles of house made ginger beer. [Enter] an immigrant named Sophie Berezinski, [who] came to California with 2,000 copper mugs she had designed in her father’s copper shop in Russia. She found willing buyers at the Cock ‘N’ Bull who wanted something to make their drink stand out.” I love when people work together!

Ingredients (Serves 1)

• 2 oz. vodka
• 4 oz. premium ginger beer
• Half of a medium-sized lime, plus a wedge for garnish

Preparation

Fill your copper mug with ice. Okay, if you don’t have a copper mug (and I didn’t for years, sigh), just use a regular Manhattan or rocks glass.

Add the vodka and squeeze in the lime juice. Top with premium ginger beer and stir to mix the ingredients and create some extra fizz. Garnish with a fresh lime wedge.

Sip and enjoy, especially in the summer when it’s hot and you want something cold, zesty and refreshing!

Please remember to drink and drive and responsibly.

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!

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