A Cosmopolitan is a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice. Informally referred to as a Cosmo, the Cosmopolitan is usually served in a cocktail glass. For this reason it is often erroneously categorized as a martini because martinis are also served in cocktail glasses.

Recipe

A simple recipe is:

• 4 parts vodka
• 1 parts cranberry juice
• 1 part triple sec or Cointreau
• a dash of lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into well chilled glass. Garnish with lime wedge, lemon twist, or an orange peel.

Some variations call for orange juice and/or sour mix instead of cranberry juice.

Related drinks

The origin and history of the Cosmopolitan seems to be unknown, but it is sometimes grouped with other cocktails such as Margaritas that utilize sour, citrus flavors and sweet syrups as a "New Orleans Sour".