Be A Daiquiri Diva

A daiquiri is a very simple cocktail it is merely rum plus a sweet and sour combination. In the classic daiquiri the sweet and sour is added by the sugar syrup and lime juice.

Daiquiri

3 parts Cuban white rum
1 part lime juice
1 1/2 parts sugar syrup

Combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake for 10 seconds before straining into a cocktail glass.

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Daiquiris are named after a beach near Santiago in Cuba however after this the story is split into two Daiquiri legends.

Daiquiri Legend #1

This legend is by far the most commonly heard of story and credits an American by the name of Jennings Cox with creating this divine drink.

Jennings Cox was the Managing Director of a company of mining engineers that were working at an iron mine near Daiquiri beach. The legend goes that Jennings was entertaining at a bar in Santiago named Venus bar when they ran out of gin.

Jennings looked at the best ingredients that were available which just happened to be Cuban rum, limes and sugar syrup and thus the Daiquiri was born.

Daiquiri Legend #2

The other legend is that the Daiquiri was a local secret until a man by the name of Admiral Lucius Johnston tasted it and fell in love with it. He managed to get the recipe and took it back to Washington DC where he introduced it at the Army and Navy Club. From Washington to the world it would seem as the Daiquiri started attracting fans around the globe.

It is always important to use good quality ingredients in your cocktails, but especially when making Daiquiris. The lime juice and sugar syrup not only mellow out the rum but also allow the background flavors to rise to the fore.

A good quality rum will have vanilla flavors and caramel flavors coming through. Try to experiment with different rums to see what one you prefer. I personally find that the Jamaican rums have more of a caramel flavor (which I love) than some of the other rums.

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When it comes to limes you must always use fresh limes to make the juice. Some bars may use Rose's Lime Juice, but this will offset that delicate sweet and sour combination.

Hint Time

When choosing limes, try and get one with a thin skin as it will have more juice in it. Also, before juicing it roll it on the counter to release the juice.

Making your own sugar syrup is an easy process. Basically you need to dissolve 1kg of caster sugar in 2 litres of boiling water. Once the sugar has dissolved you can store it in the refrigerator until required.

You can use ready made sugar syrups that are available on the market such as Grenadine. Grenadine is a sugar syrup made from pomegranites which has a very distinctive red color, it is used to make the Pink Daiquiri.

Pink Daiquiri

3 parts Cuban white rum
1 part lime juice
1 part grenadine

Combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.

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Another option is to use a natural sweetener like honey to replace your sugar syrup. There are so many different varieties of honey available that the different flavors it can impart to your daiquiri are seemingly endless.

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Cuban Honey

3 parts Cuban anejo rum
1 part lime juice
1 part honey

Combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.

You can also flavor your sugar syrups with vanilla or fruit which can add another delicious element to your perfect daiquiri.

Vanilla Syrup

500g sugar
1 ½ litres water
2 vanilla pods, split

Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan, then add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the vanilla pods to the water and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and scrape the seeds into the liquid. Cool and store in the refrigerator until required.

If you want to try a fruit syrup simply replace the vanilla pods with the fruit of your choice.

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When it comes to the Golden Glove Daiquiri another spirit is added which is cointreau and, much like when making Margaritas, this is used as part of the sweetener.

Golden Glove Daiquiri

3 parts Cuban white rum
1 part lime juice
1 ½ parts sugar syrup
¼ part cointreau

Combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.

Fruits should not be discounted as a good addition to daiquiris, always bearing in mind the sweet/sour combination. Tart fruits such as plums, lemons or grapefruits bring some of the best flavors.

However sweet fruits can also be used, but these should be tempered by adding lemon or lime juice to the blend as well.

Plum Daiquiri

3 parts Cuban white rum
1 part lime juice
½ part sugar syrup
1 part black plum flesh mashed

Using a muddler mash the plum flesh in the bottom of the shaker with the rum. Add the rest of the ingredients, along with ice, and shake well. Strain into a cocktial glass to serve.

Pineapple Daiquiri

3 parts Cuban white rum
1 part pineapple juice
½ part lime juice
1 part sugar syrup

Combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.

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Summer time brings forth the season of the frozen daiquiri. A classic frozen daiquiri is always a refreshing drink, but in summer the most popular seem to be the strawberry and banana daiquiris.

Frozen Daiquiri

4 parts light rum
2 parts fresh lime juice
1 tsp bar sugar
½ cup cracked ice
lime slice

Combine all ingredients, except the lime slice, in a blender. Blend at low speed until slushy and pour into a chilled champagne flute to serve.

Strawberry Daiquiri

4 parts light rum
2 parts fresh lime juice
1 tsp sugar syrup
7 large fresh strawberries

You need to combine all of the ingredients, except one strawberry, with cracked ice in a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a chilled cocktails glass. Garnish with the remaining strawberry.

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Banana Daiquiri

4 parts light rum
1 part triple sec
1 part fresh lime juice
1 part half-and-half
1 tsp bar sugar
¼ sliced banana
½ cup cracked ice
lime slice

Pop all of the ingredients, except for the lime slice, into a blender and blend at low speed until smooth. Pour into chilled balloon wine glass and garnish with the slice of lime.

Derby Daiquiri

4 parts light rum
2 parts fresh orange juice
1 part fresh lime juice
bar sugar 1 tsp
½ cup cracked ice

Just combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend at a low speed until smooth. Pour into a chilled champagne flute to serve.

This cocktail webpage was last updated by lou16 on 31st May 2011