Cuban Cocktails You Should Try This Spring
I love making cocktails. They are an art form that carries fascinating cultural histories. There’s something so simple about them, yet there are about a million different possible flavor combinations. I became obsessed with cocktails and mixology after I read about Cuba’s rich cocktail history. I later worked for Court theatre as a bartender, where I experienced firsthand the enchanting power of cocktails. Something as simple as whipped cream topping a coffee mixture brought joy and wonderment into the eyes of my customers. What started as a way to feel more connected to my heritage became a treasured hobby.
Now that the weather is getting warmer here are three Cuban cocktails to try:
Cuba Libre or the Mentirita
Mentiritas, or more commonly known as a Cuba Libre, is one of the simplest ways to elevate a boring rum and coke. Add lime. It’s insanely simple, yet the addition of the citrus fruit will make you wonder where this recipe has been all of your life. The name ‘mentirita’ directly translates to a little lie and is a pun and a political statement based on the official name Cuba libre (which translates into freedom).
Recipe:
· 2 ounces of white rum
· 4 ounces of Coca-Cola
· 1 lime wedge
Add ice to your glass. Pour the rum over it and top off with Coca-Cola. Squeeze fresh lime over the drink and stir gently.
Frozen Daiquiri
The legend, according to Bacardi, is that Jennings Cox, an American living in Cuba, ran out of gin at a party and ran out into the streets to find ingredients that were widely available in Cuba: rum, sugar, limes. Inspired by the Cuban 19th-century cocktail canchanchara, Cox combined the ingredients into the first Daiquiri, which Cuban mixologists eventually developed into the frozen Daiquiri that we know today.
Recipe:
· 2 ounces of white rum
· 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar
· 1 ounce of lime juice
· 1 teaspoon of Maraschino liqueur
· 2 cups of ice
· Optional: strawberries
Blend ingredients together until its frothy. My favorite adjustment to the classic recipe is replacing the ice with frozen fruit. This hack ensures that your cocktail won’t be watered down by the ice.
Mojito
I fondly remember the first time I saw someone make a mojito. My mom and I were picking up takeout from a Cuban restaurant, and while we waited, one of the bartenders began making them. I was transfixed with the process of muddling the ingredients. This cocktail is my personal favorite.
Recipe:
· 12 mint sprigs
· 1 ounce of lime juice
· 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
· 2 ounces of white rum
· 3 ounces of club soda
Muddle the mint, lime juice, and sugar in the glass you will be serving the drink in. Add rum and gently stir. Add ice, then top off with club soda.
Optional adjustment: to make raspberry mojitos add a handful of raspberries and muddle them with the mint, lime juice, and sugar, then follow the recipe as directed above.
