Daiquiris

Originally the drink was served in a tall glass packed with cracked ice. A teaspoon of sugar was poured over the ice and the juice of one or two limes was squeezed over the sugar. Two or three ounces of white rum completed the mixture. The glass was then frosted by stirring with a long-handled spoon. Later the daiquiri evolved to be mixed in a shaker with the same ingredients but with shaved ice. After a thorough shaking, it was poured into a chilled flute glass.

The resulting fizzy, foamy, off-white concoction is named for the town in which it was invented, and that invention happened by happy accident in 1896. The drink was created by Jennings Cox, an American engineer who managed the Cuban properties for two American companies (credit as co-creator is also often given to a Cuban engineer named Pagliuchi). With important guests on the way, and finding himself without a source of gin – the genteel spirit at the time – Cox worried that they would not find the local tipple palatable if served neat. He added lime juice and sugar to the island's pure cane rum, and a classic was born. The drink became popular in the 1940s when wartime rationing made whiskey and vodka hard to come by.

FMM: Brian and I were not fond of the recipe I had first posted here, which was from Alton Brown (1 oz. lime juice and 1/2 oz simple syrup). This one uses less lime juice and a little more sugar. Worth another try seeing as this is a classic cocktail. Or try the full oz. of lime juice, but increase the sugar. The traditional Daiquiri is slightly tart and this is what we may not have liked, but it should be a balanced blend of sweet and sour.

I found this note at https://www.thespruceeats.com/: "What Is the Best Rum for a Frozen Daiquiri? While white rum may be a good choice for a full-flavored strawberry daiquiri, a lime daiquiri needs a little more dimension. This is the perfect time to use your favorite gold or aged rum. For even more flavor, consider a spiced or flavored rum. The drink's more transparent flavor will not cover up any impurities in the rum, either. For the best-tasting frozen daiquiri, choose a mid-range brand of rum." Maybe a darker rum would taste better.

2 cups crushed ice, plus extra for chilling glass
2 ounces light rum
1/2 - 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, strained of pulp
3/4 ounce simple syrup, or 1 Tbsp. sugar

Note: one sugar cube = 1 tsp sugar = ~ 1/4 oz simple syrup (mixed 1:1).

If your glass is not chilled, do so by placing some crushed ice in it and set it aside while you prepare the cocktail.

Squeeze the lime into your shaker, stir in the sugar, and then add the rum. Shake well with cracked ice*, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Note on the rum: Some prefer dark over light; if you do use dark rum, cut back a little on the sugar.

*Water is added to the drink from the ice that is used to mix it with. The role of the water in any cocktail is to calm down the flavors all around and to reduce the "burn" of the alcohol. This is extremely important for creating a cocktail that is smooth and relaxing.

1 cocktail