The daiquiri; everyone’s favorite cocktail that they’ve never actually had.
Apologies to that neon-colored substance that you got from the machine when
someone pulled a lever; I’m sure it was delicious, but that was not a
daiquiri. A daiquiri could not be simpler. It’s the first cocktail invented
outside of the United States. Made in Cuba, where they happen to have a lot
of rum, as I’m sure you all knew. It is just rum, lime, and sugar; that’s
it. No blender. We’re going to shake it. I should also add that a daiquiri
is amazing. It is my favorite summer cocktail. Nothing beats it.
Here’s how you do it: Just 2 ounces of white rum. Go for a nicer white rum.
Rums are not expensive so you can get a really good white rum for a really
reasonable price. Those really cheap white rums usually have been stripped
so much of their natural qualities . . . it’s made from sugarcane, that
they really are trying to appeal to the vodka-drinker market, which means
stripping it of all its flavor. That’s not what you want; you want flavor
in your daiquiri.
2 ounces of white rum, 3/4 ounce of simple syrup; just one-to-one water and
sugar. 3/4 ounce of fresh lime juice. I cannot stress it enough; fresh lime
juice, the fresher the better. If you can do it 5 minutes before you make
the drink, or 30 seconds before you make the drink, do it. 3/4 ounce of
lime juice. That’s equal parts juice and simple syrup, which creates
balance. Not too sweet, not too sour.
This is a shaken drink. This drink you can really shake the heck out of.
Just get our glass first; in the freezer, of course. Always, if you’re
making a really cold drink, why not have a really cold glass? Nice, frozen
coup glass. Here we go. Like I said, you cannot shake this cocktail too
hard.
You’ll see all that effort I just put into that. Look at this froth we’re
going to get on the top there. That’s what you want. You know the drink is
alive. Let’s garnish this just with a nice, thin slice of lime. Let me tell
you; I have cut a lot of lime wheels in my days barbacking; perfectly thin.
There you go. That is how you make a daiquiri.