Caribbean

The Daiquiri has developed, much like the Martini and Margarita, into a sort of sub-family of drinks. The common denominator is rum, lime, and a sweetener, though from there anything can and does happen; e.g. a trip through the blender, an extra fruit or a little herb, etc. Quite a few of those variations are below the recipe.

The ‘real’ Daiquiri, however, is simple beyond belief and the three ingredients should find a balance in the glass. If your drink is a bit too tart, add more sugar. If it is too sweet, add more lime. It is a matter of personal taste as to how you take your Daiquiri. However you choose to look at it, this is an elementary cocktail, one that should be on your top priority to memorize, and once you get it you become a believer that bottled Daiquiris have no place in the bar.

A touch of history: The Daiquiri is thought to have been developed in the late 1800’s in Cuba, either as a medicinal treatment or a “There’s no whiskey or gin around here… time to doctor up the local rum” type of scenario. As is often the case in cocktails, we do not know for sure which is the truth and it is likely that both renditions have some truth. Probably the most famous Daiquiri lover was Ernest Hemingway, who also happens to have a variation named after him: the aptly named Hemingway Daiquiri. For a really good history about the Daiquiri, read Wayne Curtis’ And a Bottle of Rum.

It is widely known that Ernest Hemingway enjoyed a drink or two and that he was quite picky about what he was drinking - he definitely had his preferences and the Daiquiri was one of them. In 1921 Contstanino Ribailagua, of El Floridita in Havana, created this variation in honor of his Daiquiri-loving regular. At the bar it was often served frozen and that’s easy to do, just add 3/4-1 cup of ice to a blender. For Hemingway himself the Hemingway Daiquiri (or Papa Doble) was served without sugar and is almost always printed that way although most people prefer the sweetness.