At long last, the next instalment of Classic Cocktails. This one has been frustrating -- you'll notice the photos below are screencaps from a couple videos that you'll probably never see. My tired old computer and I have been been fighting with the huge files for several days and we finally just decided to throw in the towel.
But technical frustrations aside, this is an extremely rewarding summer drink. The classic daiquiri, as you might not be aware, is not the slushy fruit concoction you'd receive if you ordered one in most bars. The most popular "classic" version of the drink is served shaken, strained, and up. Initially, at its origins in Cuba (it's actually a drink invented by Americans living in Cuba), the ingredients were simply poured over cracked ice in a highball glass. As rum became more popular outside of the working glass in the US (due to import restrictions being placed on nearly every other spirit during WWII), the classic daiquiri -- comprised only of rum, lime juice, and syrup, is what we're making today. Then I'll show you how to make the "Hemingway" version -- known as the "Papa Doble," which is sort of the missing link between the classic daiquiri and the slushy abomination we know today. But first things first:
Slice and squeeze a large lime.
You should hopefully get about 2oz of juice. Measure it out and pour it into your shaker.
Cut a lime twist from the leftover rind. There are good tutorials on YouTube of how to do this, and there are actually a few different ways. I like to fold the half lime flat, cut a thin section off the widest part, then scrape away the white from the peel. Twist it up tightly and release.
Now add a little over twice the volume of rum. You're looking for about a 1.25:1 ratio here.
I'm using the Pyrat Rum from this month's Spirit of the Month discussion. Normally I wouldn't mix with a high-end liquor, but the price on the Pyrat is right and it makes for a really interesting daiquiri. Much more flavorful than light rum, but not out of place with the lime juice as a more heavily "spiced" rum might be. Try it!
Now add just a splash of syrup. This batch of syrup I poured into an old Boodles bottle -- I've been making a lot of drinks this week, so I needed a nice big batch. Plus Boodles bottles have that nice big cap that won't get stuck to the bottle threads by the dried syrup as easily as some others. To reiterate: this is NOT gin.
Now drop in some ice...
And give it a shake.
Pour...
Add your garnish.... And there you have it!
(Due to the Pyrat this is a bit darker than you'll see most daiquiris.)
Now... as a special bonus installment. The "Papa Doble." (pronounced Doh-blay) This drink was Hemingway's signature drink at the La Floridita bar in Havana, although it's speculated he was drinking it years previous in Florida. The unique thing about it is that it contains no syrup, but is still sweet enough to mask the (considerable amount of) alcohol contained therein. Ol' Ernest had a problem with adding sugar syrup to his drinks apparently, and drank these by the pitcherful. This is a blended drink, however -- you might be accused of drinking something fruity and girly. But if it was good enough for Hemingway, who was about the furthest thing from a "lightweight" ever known to mankind, it's good enough for a drinkin' man to try at least once.
The recipe is simple:
Add some crushed ice to your blender. I probably have this crushed too finely here -- if you have a refrigerator that dispenses "crushed" ice, that's probably about right. If you don't have an ice crusher, double-bag some ice cubes/chunks in ziploc bags, and smash them with a hammer. Really. It works nicely.
Measure out 3.25oz of white rum (I wouldn't use the Pyrat here)...
...and pour it over your ice.
Now slice two limes...
...and squeeze them out into your blender. No need to measure here. Just squeeze.
And now squeeze out half a grapefruit.
And now the secret ingredient. Maraschino liqueur. This is usually hard to find -- Luxardo is probably the most notable brand, and the one you're most likely to find. This is a critical ingredient, and this is definitely not the same as maraschino (cherry) juice. It's not expensive and worth the hunt. Your reward will be a true Papa Doble.
Add a splash of the Luxardo.
Now give it a very short blend. Just enough to get it a little frothy, but not enough to make the ice too slushy.
And pour into a goblet. Ideally, you're going to want a goblet that doesn't say "Stella Artois" on it, but this the best I've got. The shape is about right though -- think about those big, short stubby stemmed water goblets you get at restaraunts. The glassware Hemingway drank these out of was often described as a "vase"
And there you go. A drink fit for Papa himself.
Cheers!
But technical frustrations aside, this is an extremely rewarding summer drink. The classic daiquiri, as you might not be aware, is not the slushy fruit concoction you'd receive if you ordered one in most bars. The most popular "classic" version of the drink is served shaken, strained, and up. Initially, at its origins in Cuba (it's actually a drink invented by Americans living in Cuba), the ingredients were simply poured over cracked ice in a highball glass. As rum became more popular outside of the working glass in the US (due to import restrictions being placed on nearly every other spirit during WWII), the classic daiquiri -- comprised only of rum, lime juice, and syrup, is what we're making today. Then I'll show you how to make the "Hemingway" version -- known as the "Papa Doble," which is sort of the missing link between the classic daiquiri and the slushy abomination we know today. But first things first:
Slice and squeeze a large lime.
You should hopefully get about 2oz of juice. Measure it out and pour it into your shaker.
Cut a lime twist from the leftover rind. There are good tutorials on YouTube of how to do this, and there are actually a few different ways. I like to fold the half lime flat, cut a thin section off the widest part, then scrape away the white from the peel. Twist it up tightly and release.
Now add a little over twice the volume of rum. You're looking for about a 1.25:1 ratio here.
I'm using the Pyrat Rum from this month's Spirit of the Month discussion. Normally I wouldn't mix with a high-end liquor, but the price on the Pyrat is right and it makes for a really interesting daiquiri. Much more flavorful than light rum, but not out of place with the lime juice as a more heavily "spiced" rum might be. Try it!
Now add just a splash of syrup. This batch of syrup I poured into an old Boodles bottle -- I've been making a lot of drinks this week, so I needed a nice big batch. Plus Boodles bottles have that nice big cap that won't get stuck to the bottle threads by the dried syrup as easily as some others. To reiterate: this is NOT gin.
Now drop in some ice...
And give it a shake.
Pour...
Add your garnish.... And there you have it!
(Due to the Pyrat this is a bit darker than you'll see most daiquiris.)
Now... as a special bonus installment. The "Papa Doble." (pronounced Doh-blay) This drink was Hemingway's signature drink at the La Floridita bar in Havana, although it's speculated he was drinking it years previous in Florida. The unique thing about it is that it contains no syrup, but is still sweet enough to mask the (considerable amount of) alcohol contained therein. Ol' Ernest had a problem with adding sugar syrup to his drinks apparently, and drank these by the pitcherful. This is a blended drink, however -- you might be accused of drinking something fruity and girly. But if it was good enough for Hemingway, who was about the furthest thing from a "lightweight" ever known to mankind, it's good enough for a drinkin' man to try at least once.
The recipe is simple:
Add some crushed ice to your blender. I probably have this crushed too finely here -- if you have a refrigerator that dispenses "crushed" ice, that's probably about right. If you don't have an ice crusher, double-bag some ice cubes/chunks in ziploc bags, and smash them with a hammer. Really. It works nicely.
Measure out 3.25oz of white rum (I wouldn't use the Pyrat here)...
...and pour it over your ice.
Now slice two limes...
...and squeeze them out into your blender. No need to measure here. Just squeeze.
And now squeeze out half a grapefruit.
And now the secret ingredient. Maraschino liqueur. This is usually hard to find -- Luxardo is probably the most notable brand, and the one you're most likely to find. This is a critical ingredient, and this is definitely not the same as maraschino (cherry) juice. It's not expensive and worth the hunt. Your reward will be a true Papa Doble.
Add a splash of the Luxardo.
Now give it a very short blend. Just enough to get it a little frothy, but not enough to make the ice too slushy.
And pour into a goblet. Ideally, you're going to want a goblet that doesn't say "Stella Artois" on it, but this the best I've got. The shape is about right though -- think about those big, short stubby stemmed water goblets you get at restaraunts. The glassware Hemingway drank these out of was often described as a "vase"
And there you go. A drink fit for Papa himself.
Cheers!
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