I tried Ina Garten's famous cosmopolitan, and now I understand why she makes it at 9 a.m.

Garten shared a video of herself whipping up a huge cosmopolitan bright and early on the morning of April 1, delighting her 2.7 million Instagram followers. It's always cocktail hour in a crisis! she wrote in the caption. Garten began the cocktail lesson by telling her viewers that, during these trying times, it's really important to keep traditions alive. My favorite tradition is cocktail hour, she told them with a knowing smile. So I'm going to make you my favorite cosmopolitan, and you probably have all the ingredients right in your house.I have to admit, I didn't actually have any of these ingredients in my apartment. I don't think I've bought a bottle of vodka since my 21st birthday. But I made an exception for the Barefoot Contessa, and picked up exactly what Garten used in the video: Grey Goose (good vodka, as she says), Cointreau, limes, and some cranberry juice cocktail.I don't own a juicer of any sort in my tiny Manhattan kitchen, but I had Garten's words for motivation as I gave my arms an early workout. It's gotta be freshly squeezed, she told her Instagram followers. Very important. I also don't own a pitcher, but Garten is all about making modifications in quarantine and so am I! All together, the mixture made for a gorgeous bright-pink color that reminded me of watermelon juice. I couldn't wait to taste it, even with the vodka. I poured the cosmopolitan mixture into the cocktail shaker until it was ¾ full, and still had plenty leftover. While Garten's recipe technically makes one drink if you're using a massive martini glass like she did, the Barefoot Contessa star cheekily notes that her recipe also makes six regular-sized drinks. I like to make a lot of cosmos, she told her followers. You never know who's gonna stop by. Wait a minute, no one's stopping by!There I was, in the one collared shirt I own, with my new cocktail shaker and a homemade cosmo on the way.Next stop, Food Network!In her video, Garten instructs her followers to shake the cosmopolitan mixture for 30 seconds. You have lots of time, she tells them. It's not a problem! But I barely got two shakes in before I realized that I had forgotten the very first rule of using a cocktail shaker: Holding the top of it.I didn't have a martini glass (are you noticing a pattern here?), so I poured my drink into the largest wine glass I own to pay homage to Garten. The hue of the cosmo was so fun, and much more vivid than I was expecting. I had always associated cosmos with the kind of dark and trendy Soho bars I first saw on Sex and the City reruns, but this looked like a refreshing summer cocktail fit for sipping on a rooftop. Despite my checkered past with vodka, I absolutely loved this cosmo. The orange flavor from the Cointreau, combined with the lime and cranberry, made for a super refreshing sip. I was worried that the drink would be too sweet, or the vodka would taste too strong, but all the flavors were perfectly balanced together. Carrie Bradshaw may have had terrible taste in men, but she knew a great drink when she saw one! Before lockdown, I rarely spent time in my kitchen. On the few nights I wasn't out with friends or at an event, I'd throw some eggs in a pan, toss in some frozen veggies, and call it dinner. Then New York shut down in March and, suddenly, all I had was my kitchen. At first, I panicked. It seemed like everyone on my Instagram feed was making sourdough starter and whipping up delicious drinks. I just assumed I was destined for months of omelettes and White Claws. But as my day living like Garten came to a close, I realized that I didn't need to make a three-course meal to have some fun in the kitchen. I sipped on my homemade cosmo, feeling a new sense of pride. Success in quarantine, I realized, could be as simple as learning a new cocktail. I'll drink to that. Read more:I lived like Ina Garten in lockdown for a day and it was the most fun I've had in quarantineI tried Emily Blunt's English roasted potatoes after they crashed Ina Garten's website, and it's one of the tastiest dishes I've ever madeIna Garten made herself a massive cosmopolitan at 9 a.m. because 'it's always cocktail hour in a crisis'From Ina Garten to Stanley Tucci, celebrities have entertained their fans with cocktail tutorials during quarantine. Here's how to make their drinks yourself.

I tried Ina Garten's famous cosmopolitan, and now I understand why she makes it at 9 a.m.

My day in the life as Ina Garten in lockdown began with a massive cosmopolitan at 9:30 a.m.

Garten's favorite cosmopolitan only requires four ingredients.

Garten's recipe calls for "freshly squeezed lime juice," so I began my morning by attacking three poor limes with a fork.

Then I added two cups of vodka, one cup of Cointreau, one cup of cranberry juice cocktail, and the freshly-squeezed lime juice to a decanter.

I had never made my own cocktail before (unless you count pouring rum into a bottle of Coke), so I was feeling pretty impressed with myself.

About 10 seconds later, my living room was covered in bright-pink juice.

Thankfully, my second attempt was seamless, and soon I had a beautiful pink drink in my hand.

And the drink was just as delicious as it looked.

Living like the Barefoot Contessa for a day was a much-needed reminder that cooking doesn't have to be complicated to make you feel accomplished.