Classic Daiquiri
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz light rum
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- Garnish: Lime slice
INSTRUCTIONS
Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, Garnish with the lime slice.
VIDEO HOW-TO
NOTES
According to legend, around the late 1890S, in Cuba's Daiquirà mountains, an American engineer came up with this now-famous rum- based concoction in an attempt to please his guests once the gin had disappeared. Given rum's status as the highly esteemed "milk of Cuba," however, it's likely that this combination had been enjoyed before. Soon Havana became the Daiquiri mecca, especially the El Floridita Bar, where legendary bartender Constantino Ribalaigua introduced the frozen version and elevated the Daiquiri to perfection. By straining the drink after blending it with crushed ice, he avoided further dilution while retaining the frosty character.
In its pure form, the Daiquiri is simple yet sublime, blending the delicate sweetness of rum with sugar and the juice of one lime. The secret of a perfect one is not just in the balance of ingredients, but in squeezing the lime with your fingers to allow the oils from the rind to mingle with the juice, creating the Daiquiri's signature intensity and flavor. Always use fresh lime juice; to use Rose's lime juice in a Daiquiri would be an unthinkable travesty.
