Kolkata celebrates Pele's career with signature cocktails, buffet

Kolkata: The craze for Brazilian football legend Pele who set foot here on Sunday after 38 years is not just limited to the game. A series of signature cocktails and buffet have been rustled up exclusively to celebrate some special moments of the maestro's tryst with the game.

So down a tall glass of Jersey No.10 at The Junction restaurant in Taj Bengal and reminisce the icon's fluid moves donning the jersey with the famed number as the Cachaca (distilled spirit from sugarcane juice), fruit juice and sugar of the drink transports you to the sunny beaches of Brazil.

Or go for the Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil, with a Bengali twist.

Called 'Official National Treasure' after the honour bestowed on the Santos superstar by the Brazilian government, this Caipirinha has a dose of Gandharaj lime (commonly found in Bengal) and extra doses of Cachaca.

Even the spirited and popular quote "How do you spell Pele? Easy G-O-D", can be captured in a concoction of a shot of rum and your choice of soda.

That was, incidentally, a response from a British commentator during the 1970 World Cup, when asked by a colleague what the spelling of the football legend's name was.

And once you have had enough of the spellings, some hard-hitting memories could be mixed in.

Battered and bruised in the 1966 World Cup in England, Pele had to face his arch enemy Eusebio and his Portuguese team-mates.

However, this match is remembered for its brutality, and the fouls made by Portuguese defenders that the referees did not condemn.

As a reminder to the fiercely competitive side of the sport, the restaurant has come up with 'Knee Breaker' -- a concoction of dark rum, guava juice and lime, served chilled in a tall glass filled with ice-that hits you hard with the rum and lime combo.

To wrap it up, 'Even the Sky was Crying', a potion of blended Scotch whisky, lime and sugar syrup, New York Style, with a touch of grenadine, is a tribute to the ace player's last competetive match and his journey.

The five-star hotel is hosting the legend during his three-day tour of Kolkata that began on Sunday and the food promotions will continue till October 15.