Pink, fruity and strong, the iconic Cosmopolitan cocktail is truly a modern classic. Invented in 1985 by South Beach bartender Cheryl Cook, this sweet, yet tart riff on the Kamikaze highlights the unique flavor of citrus vodka.

The beloved pink cocktail, popularized in the 1990s by "Sex and the City," features a perfect flavor balance of sweet, sour, and boozy, though you can certainly adjust it to your taste.

Feel free to mix it up by swapping the cranberry juice for pomegranate juice, sugaring the rim for added sweetness, or adding fresh cranberries for a festive garnish. Don't stop there -- it's also great with fresh blueberries or pineapple.

You can also use plain vodka instead of flavored for a stronger taste, or you can play around with different flavored vodkas like pear or black cherry.

Or, of course, you can keep it simple and stick to the classic; it's a favorite for a reason.

And don't forget to light your orange peel on fire.

Squeezing the peel over your drink while holding a flame to it will spray its oils over the top of the glass, adding a tremendous aroma and flavor, but if for some reason lighting your libation on fire doesn't sound like even more fun than actually drinking it, feel free to garnish with a lime wheel instead.

Here is the recipe for a classic Cosmo, courtesy of Liquor.com:

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Citrus vodka
1 oz Cointreau
.5 oz Fresh lime juice
1 dash Cranberry Juice 

Garnish: 

One orange peel or lime wedge

Glass: 

Cocktail

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.
Shake then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange peel (hold up to flame over drink to spread oils if desired) or lime wedge.