Daiquiri

Why This Recipe Works

Mention a daiquiri, and what comes to mind for many people is a machine-dispensed, sweet and slushy, bright pink, artificially flavored strawberry version they once had on a beach somewhere. Unfortunately, the only part of that description that rings true to the original cocktail is a beach, more specifically one in Cuba: Daiquiri Beach, after which this drink was named. An American engineer working in Cuba at the turn of the 20th century is often credited with first making the daiquiri, although it's more likely that he was just the first to write down a version of a drink that already existed. In any event, not much time passed before it traveled to America. A daiquiri is a classic sour—a family of cocktails built from a spirit, citrus, and sweetener—that is elegant (and delicious) in its simplicity: white rum, lime juice, and sugar shaken until ice-cold, served straight up, and garnished with just a slice of lime. As with other cocktails that traditionally call for granulated sugar, we used our Simple Syrup instead, to ensure a smooth texture in our finished cocktail.