Minty at Home: Daiquiri Time IN
El Floridita, a daiquiri variation
If you ask bartenders what is one drink you need to know how to make, most say a daiquiri. I always found this amusing since it’s invariably followed up with, “a real one, a real daiquiri, none of that blended stuff!”
And indeed there is a great love for the very simple rum, lime and sugar drink. The basic recipe is 2 oz of rum, 1 oz lime and 1 oz sugar (or simple syrup). A few years ago, everyone was into DTOs or daiquiri time outs. The Varnish, one of my favorite bars in Downtown Los Angeles, made mini versions they called snaquiris.
Now one of my favorite variations is the El Floridita which uses a bit of cherry liqueur.
El Floridita
- 2 oz rum (I’m using Privateer but any good white rum works)
- 1 oz cherry liqueur (I use Maraska maraschino)
- 1 oz lime
- lime wheel garnish (or whatever you like)
Combine all ingredients except the garnish in a shaker, add ice and shake for about 30-45 secoHavends depending on the kind of ice you’re using. If you’re using “good” or larger sized ice, it’ll take a little longer for the ice to dilute the drink. If you’re using fridge ice or that kind from party packs, shake it less.
I upped the liqueur since I don’t use simple syrup or sugar. A lime wheel is pretty traditional for a garnish. I don’t particularly like lime wedges as that invites people to add more lime juice but you do you. You could also garnish with a Luxardo cherry or in my case, some wild Italian strawberries. And the paper umbrella is just fun.
Hemingway couldn’t have sugar so famously his daiquiri goes one step further than the El Floridita. The Hemingway daiquiri uses 2 oz rum, 1 oz cherry liqueur, 1/2 oz lime juice and 3/4 oz grapefruit juice. I think I’ll whiz up a Hemingway daiquiri tonight.
Have you tried using other rums in a daiquiri? Sometimes I like overproof rum like Smith and Cross. That makes a delicious daq!
Let’s have a daiquiri time IN, shall we?
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