On July 19th, people across the country (and around the world) gather around their glasses to salute one of the original tropical cocktails, The Daiquiri!
This refreshing and tropical summertime favorite (pronounced “Dye-keer-ee” not “Da-kwer-ee”) is believed to have been created by a man named Jennings Cox who was working at a mine in the village of Daiquiri, on an Cuban island in 1898. The story is that one hot summer day after a long shift of mining the drink was created from the simple ingredients that were close and hand. The original Daiquiri was just rum, lime juice, and sugar.
In 1909, Admiral Lucius W. Johnson, tried Cox’s drink at the Venus bar in Havana, Cuba and subsequently introduced it to the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C.
It was here that a Congressman by the name of William A. Chanler found it and he is now given credit for it’s continued popularity after introducing this cocktail in clubs in New York.
According to another legend, Ernest Hemingway inspired the creation of the frozen daiquiri at El Floridita in 1940s Havana. The bartender’s name was Constantino Ribalaigua, and he is often considered the true creator of the frozen daiquiri. The drink now known as a Daiquiri floridita is made with both lime and grapefruit juice and uses maraschino liqueur in place if sugar. Hemingway often drank his daiquiris by the double, earning the nickname “Papa Doble” with a supposed record of 16 doubles in one sitting.
The Daiquiri is also known for being one of the favorite drinks of President John F. Kennedy who supposedly imported Cuban rum so he could enjoy them despite the trade embargo.
The main ingredients of true daiquiri are rum, lime juice, and sugar but the “Daiquiri” no longer references a single drink, but instead it is the name for a family of rum and citrus based cocktails. They are popular in a variety of flavors ranging from strawberry, to blueberry, pineapple, and banana, made with a variety of rums, and are delicious up, on the rocks, or blended.
Some of our favorite recipes are:
The Hemingway Daiquiri:
Just a bit of bite and acidity make this cocktail the go to drink after dinner on the veranda in the ocean breeze.
Pineapple Daiquiri:
With more subtle sweetness this drink is a gentle tropical beauty of a cocktail to sip on a hot day.
The Midori Melon Daiquiri:
Sweet but smooth, this concoction is perfect for a pool party or late night of dancing.
Red, White, and Blue Daiquiri:
The flavors of watermelon, coconut, and strawberry are blended together to make a fun festive summertime drink.
