Today's guest blog is from Mark Woods a.k.a. Tikitender. Mark is Florida's 4-time Favorite Bartender, a social media maven, and principal bartender at The Golden Lion Cafe in Flagler Beach, Fla. Also, he rocks.
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While squeezing fresh lime
juice for a Daquiri Old Style,
Woods squirts himself in
in eye. Ow! |
I once read about a bar owner who had a simple interview process for potential employees. He'd simply say, "Go behind the bar and make me a martini." If the applicant reached for a bottle of vodka, the interview was over.
Simply put, a martini is gin and vermouth; nothing more, nothing less. I'm not saying that a vodka martini isn't a legitimate cocktail. Let's just call it what it is. The daiquiri can cause similar confusion.
A daiquiri is a daiquiri. A frozen strawberry daiquiri is a frozen strawberry daiquiri. A strawberry daiquiri prepared with fresh strawberries is a Delicious Treat. It's also a rare find. Most bars, including
my home bar, use strawberry syrup. Frozen daiquiris made with this super sweet mixture are actually quite popular. (It must be the American sweet tooth at work.)
Unfortunately, such shortcuts take all creativity away from the process. If you want the real deal, try your hand (or challenge your bartender) at these two takes on the classic (see original post
here):
Much easier to make than it is to spell, the Classic Daiquiri can be a challenge to those who haven't taken the time to learn the history of cocktails. "Created" in the early 1900s, this classic cocktail is actually very similar to the grog that British sailors drank.
*Spoiler Alert!* A Daiquiri is NOT a frozen drink unless it is ordered as such.
The Classic Daiquiri, a favorite of John F. Kennedy and Ernest Hemingway, is believed to have been created near Santiago, Cuba.
Classic Daiquiri
8 parts white rum
2 parts lime juice
1 part simple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a shaker half-filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Dream of the days when Cuba will be open for tourism.
Daiquiri Old Style
Fill a tall glass with cracked ice. Pour a teaspoon of sugar over the ice. Add the juice of one or two limes to taste. (Yes, I mean freshly squeezed limes.) Pour two or three ounces of rum over the ice. Stir with a long-handled spoon until the drink is thoroughly chilled. Enjoy.
Don't even look at the blender.
As you can read, the Classic Daiquiri is a far cry from today's processed sugary mess. Much like the the Classic Margarita, which has given way to artificial sour mix rather than a squeeze of fresh lemon, the Daiquiri has become over-sized, over-sugared, and over-priced. I can't imagine Papa Hemingway waxing poetic about a noisy blender.
Remember to always spread Aloha and enjoy yourself a little bit every day. Mahalo nui loa!
For more information about Mark Woods, drink recipes, and general good times visit www.tikitender.com. Follow Mark on Twitter @Tikitender.
