Daiquiri is one of the many wonderful cocktails created by bartender veteran Peter Spencer. He claims that he discovered a way to make a perfect Manhattan in a blender, without any frozen food. Daiquiri is part of a larger family of cocktails that include the Negroni, the Mochino, the Vodka Martini, the Side Car Punch, and the Manhattan. Daiquiri literally means "dipped drink" in Spanish.
Daiquiri is a relatively simple cocktail that can be made from just about any combination of fruits, and other ingredients. Daiquiri is usually served with either a freshly squeezed lemonade or with a homemade sugar syrup called dulce de leche. Other bartenders make a nice profit from the sale of dulce de leche. This makes the drink more popular than some of the other cocktails listed above.
Daiquiri consists of two parts: the base or "sour mix", which is the most important ingredient in the recipe; and the sweetener, also known as the "addition sugar". Daiquiri consists of a combination of both sugar and water. The recipe typically requests 2 parts of sweetened water. The exact amount of sweetener used in a Daiquiri will depend upon the recipe.
The base of the cocktail is a simple syrup called dulce de leche, made from either sugar or sometimes yeast. Recipes call for equal amounts of sugar and water. The amount of syrup needed in a Daiquiri also depends on whether it is an alcoholic or purely a non-alcoholic drink. Straight Daiquiris requires no added water, thus the name. The longer the syrup is left in the glass, the heavier the cocktail will be.
A standard daiquiri contains about four ounces of base syrup plus one and a half ounces of water. Adding more ice to the glass delays the cooling process, so that you can enjoy the richer flavor of the syrup while waiting for the ice to melt. Daiquiris can be served with or without ice; however, it is almost impossible to make a non-alcoholic Daiquiri without adding ice. Because of its heavy nature, the cocktail glass should always be clean and the ice cubes should be arranged in a pattern rather than randomly in an attempt to speed up the process of chilling.
In a traditional Daiquiri, a single grain of black pepper is placed into a glass. Two spoons of simple syrup, one tea lock and one lime, are all included in this drink. Most Daiquiris use the white rum in the glass, but other variations are available, including a Caribbean Daiquiri where the rum is replaced by white wine and the simple syrup is replaced by peach or apricot juice.
The garnish is an important part of a daiquiri since it adds a bit of uniqueness and character to the drink. The most common garnish is a maraschino cherry or other type of fresh mint sprig. Daiquiri garnishes can be simple or extravagant, depending on the recipe, the types of ingredients used and the tastes of the guests. For example, fresh fruit and cheese garnishes are popular in California Daiquiris, while sprigs of mustard are a standard garnish in many Manhattan Daiquiris.
There are several types of ingredients that can be added to the daiquiri recipe to make the drink different from the other drinks made with the ingredients used to make a traditional daiquiri. One such addition is a simple sugar syrup that gives the drink a pale amber color and rich taste. Another addition is lemon juice. Many people choose to add fresh lime juice for its pleasant taste and for the fact that it doesn't add any extra calories of its own. Daiquiri blends may also contain orange juice, peach juice, or peach nectar fact that they tend to have a sweeter taste than other fruits in a cocktail.
