What Hemingway was talking about...

Daiquiri

2 oz Rum (I used Bacardi 8 year)
1 oz lime juice (fresh squeezed for crying out loud)
1 tsp sugar (use extra fine)

Shaken not stirred. Serve up.

Mmmmm. Now I know what Hemingway was talking about.

[e.w.lange]

Two ways. I like mine WITH the maraschino liqueur (imported Luxardo or the common bar-friendly grenadine). I always use Bacardi, though, and fresh lime. Enjoying one right now!

[2top]

To me a Daiquiri is a Mojito without mint (yerbabuena).

A Daiquiri is made with - White Rum, lime juice, sugar.
This Cuban classic is named after the town in Oriente province. An American mining engineer named Jennings Cox and a Cuban engineer named Pagliuchi created the recipe, in the late nineteenth century.

The frozen Daiquiri was created at La Floridita.

Hemingway Daiquiri (*frozen) includes: White Rum, lime, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice.
Hemingway was a diabetic, hence no sugar.

The mojito is made with White Rum, lime, mint, sugar, soda
It was born in Cuba descendant of a drink called the Draque. Richard Drake, an English pirate, concocted a beverage similar to the mojito by mixing aguardiente (an unrefined rum), sugar (or guarapo), lime, and mint. He coined the drink "El Draque" (meaning "the dragon") after the nickname of his head honcho, Sir Francis Drake. La Bodeguita del Medio, a restaurant located in 'Havana Vieja' is said by some to be home of the mojito.
Here is their recipe:
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
4 mint leaves
Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)
2 ounces club soda

LA BODEGUITA DEL MEDIO This mythical restaurant located in 'Havana Vieja' is said to be home of the mojito, Hemingway pledged his allegiance to the drink by writing on the wall: "My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita". *All pictures from La Floridita show Papa drinking a frozen drink.

[Veggo]

Great pics! I love the first one with EH ,where all are smiling except him- he looks a little wasted. The mahogany bar at La Floridita is awesome and unfortunately rarely as populated now as in the photo. It's a tourist dinner haunt, and not busy at that. La Bodeguita, on the other hand, is a lively bar scene. I recently spent the better part of a 4th of July there, with Cubanos also celebrating American Independence day. The little side street it's on has architecture that resembles old New Orleans with all the balconies and wrought iron.
We should make a pact that when we next visit EH's gravesite in Ketchem, Idaho, we will have a pre-prepared beverage and toast the old master.

[Gio]

Is that Spencer Tracy in the first photo? Certainly looks like him. Funny, I thought Papa's drink of choice was a Martini. Wonder where I got that notion.

[junga]

good info. It's 10am, I'm at the office, and would now like a drink.
the Flora de Cana is good, has anyone tried Angostura 1919, new fav.
Also, does anyone know what Havana Club I should use in the Heminway Daq.? Silver Dry? which i guess is now 3 Anos?

[2top]

While in Trinidad, I bought a bottle of Angostura 1824 Limited Reserve a 12 year old rum and the top of their line. It wasn't too smooth. I must say that El Dorado 15 year from Guyana at half the price put it to shame. For the Hemingway Daiquiri I would use Havana Club, Anejo Blanco. It's the youngest of their aged white rums and a great mixer.

[Veggo]

2top, a bit of a misfire here; check your bottles of Havana Club. The Blanco is not aged; it is very light in taste and clear in color and suitable for Daiquiris and mojitos. The word "anejo" does not appear on the bottle.
The Havana Club 5 year, Anejo, and 7 year, range from amber to fairly dark.

[2top]

I quote, Do, Jose Navarro, Primer Maestro Ronero, "The whitest of all aged rums, the most aged of all white rums." Anejo Blanco - The Perfect Mixer.

See for yourself; http://www.havana-club.com/

[Veggo]

The Havana Club blanco will work fine. The 3 year, which was my favorite, disappeared almost 2 years ago. The 5 year or the anejo may be a little strong for the balance you seek.

[2top]

Let me also say that my big discovery in Trinidad was the pleasure of drinking White Oak Rum (the cheapest Angostura Rum) with fresh coconut water. While going from party to party around the Christmas time I could hardly wait to get another drink.

[junga]

I've had fresh coconut water(grabbed it from the tree myself) with the white Pyrat. Very good. In of my dumber moments, I didn't realize how hot coconut is off the tree--(I know, it is outside in the tropics) needless to say it melts the ice very fast.
Also, I have (or had) most of the rums available on internetwines.com, as well as what I find traveling about. anyone know a good source to get hard to find rums, like JM, J Bally, etc..I can't find the white Pyrat anymore either.

[e.w.lange]

I need to try this TONIGHT. Going to pick up a bottle of coconut water that seems the freshest, unless you suggest I buy a coconut.

[BigLizard]

Wow. I haven't looked at chowhound in a long time and when I saw this on top I thought someone had nicked my nick. I stared at if for a few moments while the memories lifted through the clouds of my rum soaked brain before I realized it was my post. That was from back in the day before you had to log in to post. I rushed off to register and was relieved to find I could still use my old nick.

Anyway on a rummier note: After almost 2 years in Central America my rum of choice is now Flor de Caña (5 year) from Nicaragua.

[Veggo]

A good choice. Perhaps a little spooky that you could be drinking a 5 year old Flor de Cana today that was made after your original post!

[danimal57]

BigLizard,
I've got no problem with frozen drinks on a hot day, but a good Hemingway Daiquiri is a fine thing Rum, lime and sweetner. You can't go wrong. It never hurts to experiment with different rums and different citrus, either. We get lots of lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit around here, so you can mix up some nice daiquiri-like drinks to serve around the pool on a hot summer day. A splash of bitters is a nice addition, too.

Dan

[BigLizard]

Another favorite rum drink of mine -- especially for when you don't have refrigeration or ice -- I call "Pink Rum" because it's just like a "Pink Gin." Which is just a neat rum with a generous shake of bitters. Peychaud's obviously makes the drink more pink, but one is more likely to have Angostura on hand.

[Veggo]

The original daiquiri was conceived at the mahogany bar of the Floridita, as SLAP states. Rum, lime juice, cane sweetener, ice. LONG before blenders existed. The old bar at the Floridita is resplendent to this day, but the food is disappointing, as is cuban food in general. (sorry)
The home of the mojito is La Bogedita, the haunt for the drunken literati in EH's era. Old photos and messages with autographs cover every wall surface, into the kitchen. Mojitos there today include Havana Club blanco, mint, lime, crushed ice, sugar cane syrup, and a splash of club soda. The mint is said to be a type unique to Cuba, and distinguishes their mojito from all others. Both places reek of nostalgia, especially La Bogedita because it is 2 blocks off the square and is always busy, and is more of a shot-and-a-beer joint than a restaurant.

[typetive]

I thought a true daiquiri contained maraschino liqueur. Not that I like maraschino liqueur or anything.

[fafner]

A daiquiri is 2 oz rum, 3/4 oz lime, 3/4 oz simple syrup
A hemmingway daiquiri is 2 oz rum, 3/4 oz lime, 1/2 oz grapefruit juice and 1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo or Maraska)
A papa doble is 4 oz rum and 1 oz lime. (no sugar)

[junga]

Its good to be in the company of those who know what a real daiquiri is. I prefer it the simpler the better, with good rum. You can't go wrong with Cruzan Single Barrel, Mount Gay Extra Old, or Havana Club, if you can get your hands on it. I also like what I refer to as "Hemingway Daquiri's" with the addition of white grapefruit juice, maraschino liquor, and twice the rum.

[Densible]

That sounds divine.

Hemingway started off his writing day, early, in the morning, with a six pack of cheap beer. After that it was all about "what hemingway was talking about".

i'm pretty sure that's a mojito. when you put it in a blender it becomes a daiquiri.

The original daquiri is not like the ones that come out of the soft serve machines you see at TGIF. It originated in Havana at La Floridita and I don't believe it was made with a blender originally.

Aren't there two kinds of dacquiris? Frozen and not?

[soupkitten]

a daiquiri is a daiquiri. (the real, purist, original drink)
a frozen daiquiri is a frozen daiquiri.
a strawberry frozen daiquiri is a frozen strawberry daiquiri.
etc.

Similar, but the mojito has really mooshed limes and mooshed mint with a splash of seltzer. I do believe The Bearded One was fond of both, but when I was in Cuba last year it took a certain amount of charm to get one (with the eye-roll). And you will still get a chorus of Guantanamera.

My friend Victor, who spent 4 years in Castro's prison
system, says a Daquiri is made as follows:

2 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Limon (lime juice)
1 oz. Guarapo (cane juice)

A mojito is:

2 oz. Dark Rum
1 oz. Limon
Tall Glass of Ice
1 oz. Guarapo or Honey
Soda Water
A Few Crushed Mint Leaves

Everything is in caps because it's important.

Similar but the mojito has muddled mint and soda and is served on the rocks. I like to make them with bacardi limon (it's cheap and already pretty sweet so you need less sugar). Muddle the mint enough to release the oil but not enough to get stuck in your straw. If you don't have a muddler use the back end of a wooden spoon.

The modern daiquiri is an abomination. cool aid and rum (frozen or not). yeach.

It's all about fresh fruit. Just say no to sour mix!

No, no no! Daiquiris have been horribly bastardized by the cheap-Mexican-restaurant crowd. A real daiquiri is just that--rum, a little lime, and a bit of sugar. The whole frozen-peach-strawberry-banana slushie thing is not what it was originally. And the key ingredient in a mojito is fresh mint, muddled with rum, lime and sugar, and topped up with club soda--it's a tall drink.

[Sgt Snackers]

Renee, sorry! This is an original daiquiri recipe. Mojitos, as a rule, include mint and are topped with soda.

I generally use simple syrup when making these kinds of drinks, as it dissolves much easier than sugar, works better in Sazeracs and Old Fashioneds as well. We make a big batch every few months store it in the fridge in bottles, keeps just fine.

[mariacarmen]

eta - never mind.