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Spanish
It’s “Beach Grape” season! Which means that right now the Beach Club by Le Cirque on Minitas Beach are serving up their deliously refreshing”Beach Berry Mojito” cocktail – but for a VERY limited time only!
Essentially a Mojito made with Beach Grapes, otherwise known as Sea Grapes or Uvas de Playa. This refreshing and truly tropical concoction is the brain child of Massimo Caretta, Maitre’ D of the Beach Club by Le Cirque, who one inspired day decided to infuse this naturally growing fruit into a classic cocktail – thereby inventing the Beach Berry Mojito or Uvajito as it is also referred to.
Incredibly, the Beach Grapes used to make the Beach Berry Mojito – are plucked by hand from the trees on Minitas Beach, which means the season is incredibly short, and basically lasts as long as there are ripe grapes on the beach. (Unfortunately no-one really knows how long or until when that is – when asked I was told “as long as they are ripe” and when I pushed, was told “the next few weeks”.)
Berry Beach Grape – available NOW at Minitas Beach
Cost: US$12 (+ tax)
Available: NOW….as long as there are Beach Grapes
A little more about the Beach Grape / Sea Grape
The Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera) is a sprawling bush or small tree that is found near sea beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean, including southern Florida, The Bahamas and Bermuda [and the Dominican Republic]. It reaches a maximum height of 8 metres, but most specimens are little more than 2 metres tall. It has large, round, leathery leaves (up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) in diameter) with a primary vein that has a red color extending from the base, and the entire leaf turns red as it ages. The bark is smooth and yellowish. In late summer it bears purplish fruit, about 2 centimetres (0.79 in) in diameter, in large grape-like clusters. The fruit also contains a pit.
Source (and for additional information): Wikipedia.org