Have a Happy National Daiquiri Day with a Daiquiri, Three Ways!

Some people know a lot about daiquiris. Some are not so sure. It's very easy to slide into the "pop culture" definition of a daiquiri and expect a large, blended, frothy concoction served to you by a kid in a uniform T-shirt and with a corporate slogan ("It's a great day at ABC...Thanks for stopping by!")


But the original daiquiri has so much more to offer! It's an adult drink, cherished by Old Papa Hemingway himself. Please do some research and learn about how this drink came to be.

In the meantime, please give my daiquiris a shot! I've added a touch of fruit flavor and some herbs and spices to up the ante...but they are all shaken and strained, no slush involved. I tried to respect Papa Hemingway while at the same time making things a little different and fun. These are all my own creations, so feel free to modify a bit here or there, depending on your taste. And, yes, I served them in martini glasses, because that was the prettiest thing that I had!

Before getting to the recipes, let me explain a few things. I made my own peach-infused rum by mixing 1 cup of rum and 1 cup of cubed peaches. I let it sit for about a week in a sealed container in the fridge, shaking it gently 2 times a day. When I felt it was done, I removed the peaches and that was it. For cinnamon rum, I used 1 cup of rum and about 6" of cinnamon sticks, following the same process. Strain well through cheesecloth to get out any little remnants. Also, when straining theses drinks, I used a fine mesh strainer. It worked MUCH better than the strainer that comes with a bar shaker.

Also, all rum is Don Q (light). Feel free to use your favorite brand! Simple syrup is made by mixing 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water and heating it, stove top, until the sugar is dissolved. Cool before use. And for the ginger, I found the neatest product-frozen, pureed ginger cubes! The brand is "Dorot", and they also have frozen cubes of garlic, basil, and other handy spices/herbs. I like the ginger, as we don't use it that often, so an entire knob of it tends to go bad before it is used.

Pictured (left to right): Caribbean Kick (a pineapple/ginger/jalapeno daiquiri), Tart Rose (a rosemary/lime daiquiri), and Peaches 'N Cream.

Caribbean Kick

by Chris

1/2 of a jalapeno, diced (seeds removed)
1 cube of crushed ginger (or about a thumbnail-sized fresh piece, chopped)
1/2 ounce of simple syrup
1 ounce of pineapple juice
2 ounces of light rum

Muddle the ginger and pepper pieces with the simple syrup. Add the pineapple juice and rum; shake over ice. Strain well into a glass.

Tart Rose
by Chris

6-8" sprig of fresh rosemary (more than you think that you need!)
1 ounce of simple syrup
3/4 ounce of lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 ounces of light rum

Muddle the rosemary with the simple syrup. Add the lime juice and rum; shake over ice. Strain well into a glass.

Peaches 'N Cream

by Chris

1 ounce of peach infused rum (or you can purchase peach rum at the store)
1 ounce of cinnamon infused rum (again, you can substitute a store bought product)
1 ounce of half and half
2 ounces of peach nectar
1/2 of an ounce of simple syrup

Combine all of the ingredients. Shake over ice and strain into a glass.