Make Festive Cinnamon Coca-Cola Kalimoto
Aside from Cherry Coke, which is best enjoyed in the cinema (sigh), I only like Diet Coke, but I really like it. Fortunately, my professional responsibilities keep me updated on the latest developments in soda flavors and keep me from stagnating. I might not have wanted to try Cinnamon Coke on a personal level, but my dedication to my craft demanded it.
This is actually very good! The cinnamon flavor is at the forefront, providing a quick kick of seasonal warmth before fading into the background and letting the traditional Coca-Cola flavor take over. It complements what is “cola” – I think it’s a nut? – Gives a Christmas flavor to the drink without dominating your palate or obscuring the rest of the soft drink. This, I thought, was the perfect opportunity to make Christmas kalimotho.
You may recall from previous scriptures that Kalimotho – a 50/50 mix of red wine and cola – is a favorite among Spanish teens in the Basque region, which means it is super cool and very trendy (like me). Plus it is very cost effective. You don’t need “good” wine to make it; in fact, it is preferable that the wine is not very good, because Coca-Cola overshadows all the nuances of wine.
Using Cinnamon Coca-Cola instead of the classic Coca-Cola gives the cocktail a festive flavor and the results are delicious. Last night while preparing dinner, I sipped Christmas kalimotcho and fried onions. Things started to decline alarmingly quickly, and I was completely overwhelmed by the Christmas mood. (I had to do one this morning to take a picture of him, which means I was very close to having a full glass of wine and Coca-Cola at 9 AM)
Making Christmas kalimotho is no different from making classic kalimotho. Simply pour roughly equal parts of baking soda and cheap dry red wine into a glass filled with plenty of ice. (I threw in some cinnamon Coke to give it a little more flavor, which was good.) Garnish with a cinnamon stick if you deem necessary, then sip (or chew) your way to a more seasonal bouncy state of mind.