Moneygun Cosmopolitan
Photo: Jeff Marini

Right now, drinks like the Cosmopolitan and other ’90s jams are getting a lot of love,” says Mitchem. But the best new versions aren’t sickly sweet relics from the Sex and the City era. His version calls for making your own hibiscus-infused Triple Sec and cranberry cordial. “You want your Cosmo to trend toward tart, and the fresh cranberries and lemon peels will get you much closer than anything store bought.”

Moneygun Cosmopolitan

1. Make the cranberry cordial: Blend a 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries then strain to make juice. Combine ½ cup of the juice, ½ cup sugar, 2 cups water, and the peel of 1 lemon in a large pot and heat over medium, stirring frequently, until sugar melts. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Makes 2¾ cups.

2. Make the hibiscus-infused Triple Sec: Add ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers (Mitchem uses the Starwest Botanicals brand, available on Amazon) to ¾ cup Triple Sec and let sit for 30 minutes, then strain and refrigerate. Makes ⅝ cup.

3. Take 1 ½ oz. of the cordial and ½ oz. of the Triple Sec and add them, along with 1½ oz. vodka and ¾ oz. lime juice, to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel.