National Daiquiri Day

     Today is National Daiquiri Day here in America.  I really can’t think of a better way to celebrate it than by enjoying an original Cuban Daiquiri.  The daiquiri’s broadly accepted history credits a U.S. engineer Jennings Cox with creating the daiquiri.  


     Following the Spanish-American war of 1898 he was sent by the Spanish-American Iron Company to manage mines in the Sierra Maestra region of Cuba .  As you'd expect the conditions were harsh, yellow fever was endemic so the engineers were given good wages and a tobacco ration, plus Cox also negotiated a monthly ration of the local white rum.  One of the mines that Cox worked in was located in the village of Daiquiri, for which the cocktail was named.   

La Floridita Daiquiri

* 1 1/2 ounces rum (Matusalem Platino)
* 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
* 1/4 ounce simple syrup (Cane Syrup)
* 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)
* Splash of fresh grapefruit juice
* Lime wedge for garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a blender with about 4 oz. of ice and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds) pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lime wedge.

     This is the original “Frozen Daiquiri” and was the fourth attempt by Constante Ribalaigua to create the  Daiquiri Floridita in Havana.    Jennings Cox created the original Daiquiri, a shaken version that contained rum, limon verde, and sugar, all shaken over ice.   Hemingway himself was a diabetic, and could not drink cocktails with sugar, so Constante, head barman and owner of El Floridita came up with a special Daiquiri for “Papa”.    Hemingway as the story goes told Constante to take the Daiquiri Floridita and drop out the sugar and double the rum, and Hemingway’s  “Papa Doble” was born.

     Hemingway proudly owns the El Floridita house record of 16 double Daiquiris.  He didn’t want sugar in his Daiquiri; those 16 drinks, if traditionally made, would have involved nearly two cups of sugar.  If the alcohol didn’t kill him, the sugar certainly would.

 

Papa Doble

* 3 ounces rum (Matusalem Platino)
* 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
* 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)
* Splash of fresh grapefruit juice

Combine liquid ingredients in a blender with about 4 oz. of ice and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds) pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lime wedge. 

     Enjoy your National Daiquiri Day the way you want to, but if you haven’t tried a daiquiri, then find a place that can make you a real one or just make your own, but do try one.  ;o)