Travel may be a little tricky these days, but you can still traverse the globe with these delicious drink recipes to try at home.
Today’s delicious cocktail hails from Cuba – the daiquiri.
What is it?
Simplicity and perfection – there’s no other way to describe a daiquiri. We’re not talking frozen daiquiri abominations, we’re talking three ingredients: rum, sugar and lime juice. A drink so much greater than the sum of its parts.
Origins
Simply (that word again), the daiquiri was born out of necessity – the gin ran out, and local ingredients – lime, sugar and rum – saved the day! Thank the stars for that. Commonly attributed to a US mining guy based in Cuba in the late 19th century (who obviously misjudged his gin stocks!) and named after a beach nearby, the drink became popular in the early 1900s and then boomed as it became the drink of choice for Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
You’ll need (serves 1)
60ml (2fl oz) white rum
30ml (1fl oz) lime juice
15ml (½fl oz) sugar syrup
ice
slice of lime
Method
Step 1: Put a martini glass or champagne coupe in the freezer to chill.
Step 2: In a cocktail shaker, combine the three ingredients with a handful of ice.
Step 3: Shake until it’s icy cold.
Step 4: Pour into your chilled glass.
Step 5: Make a cut into your lime slice to the center of the circle and hang it on the rim of the glass.
Tasting notes
The pleasure of a daiquiri begins with making it. The measuring of rum, sugar syrup (trust us) and lime juice, the shaker full of ice. Preparing a perfect slice of lime. Chilling a martini glass. It’s all easy and you know you’re building up to something great. Your mouth will water.
Once strained into the glass, what happens next depends: it’s the beautiful thing about a daiquiri – you can sip it solo and let its freshness and zing become a meditation, or you can party with it on a beach in Cuba and let the rum get you jabbering enthusiastically. You might even pen a great work after a few of them. Regardless of the mode, this sweet, sour, strong and cold drink will fill your palate and make you happy. So very very happy.
For additional cocktail recipes, check out our Destination Drinks page.
This article was originally published in March 2020 and updated in January 2021.