The Best Rum for a Daiquiri | Serious Eats The Best Rum for a Daiquiri 6 Your choice of rum matters when it comes to daiquiris. [ Photographs: Jennifer Hess ] In these hot, muggy times, the thoughts and hearts of drinkers turn to the perfect hot-weather drink: the daiquiri. Now, when I say daiquiri, I'm not talking about anything fruity or frozen. I mean the original, the classic: the simple sour of rum, lime juice, and either simple syrup or sugar. I usually like mine bone-dry. I'll usually mix one with 2 ounces of rum, either 3/4 or 1 ounce of lime, and a couple of barspoons of superfine sugar. Then I shake the hell out of it on ice to dissolve the sugar and pour it into a chilled coupe glass. Back in February I started exploring the best ingredients to use in a Negroni . I'm now on a similar mission for the daiquiri. This drink is easy to test. Lime juice is lime juice (a slight oversimplification since there are a few lime varieties out there, but bear with me), and white sugar is white sugar.

But the rums, oh the rums. That's where you can have some fun. The Rums I've had great daiquiris made with dark rums, but in general, when I want a daiquiri, I'm looking for refreshment. I want something deliciously bright and crisp and sharp. Dark rums tend to be rich and smooth and mellow. That's what I want when I'm drinking a Mai Tai or a rum Old Fashioned, but it's not what I want when I want a daiquiri. But which white rum is best in this classic drink? I put five to the test to find out. Bacardi Superior (about $14 for 750 mL). I'm guessing you're familiar with this white rum from Puerto Rico. I think anyone who's had a daiquri has at one time had a Bacardi daiquiri, and I wanted to see how it would fare in a blind tasting. Flor de Caña (about $15 for 750 mL). A bright, crisp white rum from Nicaragua. Flor is a go-to for sipping and cocktails, plus it's pretty affordable and widely available.

Rhum Barbancourt (about $18 for 750 mL). This white rum from Haiti is made from freshly pressed sugar cane, using a pot still. Though it's made in a manner similar to an agricole-style rum, it doesn't have the sort of abiding funk you expect from agricole. Rhum Clément Premiére Canne (about $30 for 750 mL). A rich white agricole from Martinique. Unlike the Barbancourt, Rhum Clément Premiére Canne has a potent funk that reaches your nose the moment you open the bottle. Ron Diplomatico Blanco (about $33 for 750 mL). A 6-year-old rum from Venezuela that is filtered to remove the barrel coloration. Get Mixing! Several variables in each daiquiri remained the same: Proportions. Each drink was 1 ounce rum, 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice, and 1 teaspoon simple syrup. Ice. I weighed the ice to make sure it was the same for each drink. Glassware.

Though I normally serve daiquiris in coupe glasses, I don't own enough of them right now to test five drinks, so I used V-shaped cocktail glasses instead. Technique. I shook each drink over fresh ice, to chill and properly dilute it, and then strained it into a glass. My wife and I were both blind-tasting the daiquiris. To ensure that neither one of us knew which glass was which, I used the following method: I mixed each drink and poured each one into a glass. I designated the drinks as A, B, C, D, and E, and then took them out to my wife in the living room. I kept a note on my phone saying which drink was which. While I was in the kitchen, my wife shuffled the drinks, so that I wouldn't know which one was which. So she knew where A, B, C, etc. were on the table, but she didn't know what was in each glass. I knew what was in each glass, but I didn't know where A, B, C, etc. were. Because the rums were clear and the proportions of each ingredient were the same in each drink, we didn't notice any color variations in the drinks.

The Results Does the rum you use in a daiquiri change the drink's flavor? You bet. A great daiquiri should marry the rum and lime flavors, without either flavor overpowering the other. A citrusy-tasting rum can be delicious, but in a daiquiri, it can leave you with a drink that's overwhelmed by lime flavors. We love a rich and funky rum, but in a daiquiri, the lime can collapse under that weight. Ron Diplomatico Blanco This bright and impressively balanced daiquiri was our favorite of the bunch. It was the kind of daiquiri that makes you want to be in a lounge chair, poolside. It tasted crisp and tart, with a range of citrus flavors that were prominent but not overpowering. On its own, this rum has a creamy, smooth texture, and in the daiquiri, a hint of coconut came out. We found that Diplomatico carried the right balance of flavor to pair well with the lime and sugar: it's rich but not funky, flavorful but not in a showy, dramatic way. The Diplomatico daiquiri was just how we like this classic drink: tropical, fruity, and dry.

Flor de Caña Our second-favorite of the lineup had a vivid tropical fruit aroma that carried through to the flavor. The tartness of the drink helped to punch this up, almost as if the drink were made with pineapple instead of lime. If you're watching your wallet, Flor de Caña is the rum for your daiquiri. Rhum Barbancourt Tasting this daiquiri blind, we first noticed the herbal, grassy scent. Though all the drinks had the same amount of sugar, this cocktail tasted quite a bit sweeter than the others, with a more piercing lime presence. Overall, we liked the drink but it didn't dazzle us. I was surprised to learn that this was the Barbancourt daiquiri; I expected to like that version more. This drink also reminded me of an important lesson...more on that below. Rhum Clément Premiére Canne This drink was a dead giveaway: it had a much stronger aroma than any of the others, and a funky, vegetal flavor without much sweetness. The Rhum Clément Premiére Canne daiquiri had the most complex flavor of the daiquiris we tried. The problem: it also tasted the least like a classic daiquiri.

If I wanted a classic daiquiri, I wouldn't choose this, but if I were in the mood for a funky cocktail, I'd go Rhum Clément without hesitating. Bacardi Though this daiquiri had a mild aroma, it also offered a sharpness that reminded us a little bit of freshly grated ginger. The citrus flavors dominate the drink, and there isn't much of a rummy finish. If you have friends who like fruity drinks but are uncertain whether they like rum, this affordable bottling will do just fine. Lessons Learned In the forthcoming cocktail book from New York City's Death & Co., various D&C bartenders share their favorite daiquiri recipes. What's interesting about the recipes is that some of them use a blend of two different rums as the base in order to layer and balance more complex flavors and fill in any holes. This advice is worth heeding. In the case of the funky Rhum Clement Premiére Canne, mixing with a fruitier tasting rum would tone down the vegetal side, resulting in a brighter drink. So, for example, you could blend the Clement with Flor de Caña, for a complex drink that balances funk and fruit.

I was also surprised by how much more sugary the Barbancourt daiquiri tasted compared to the others. This reminded me of an important principle: a drink recipe is not one size fits all. You really need to adjust the quantities of ingredients depending on what spirits or liqueurs you're using. A Barbancourt daiquiri needs a little less sugar than some other rums require. I used a teaspoon of simple syrup for these daiquiris; one half teaspoon would have sufficed for the Barbancourt. Taste your drinks as you make them, and you might be able to get the balance right. More Rum Options If you can't find the rums on this list, there are other options. For example, El Dorado 3 Year Old Superior White (about $20 for 750 mL) is produced in a similar fashion to Diplomatico: it's barrel-aged but then filtered to round out the flavor and strip the color away. If you can't find Diplomatico, El Dorado would sub in well.

Brugal Blanco Especial (about $20 for 750 mL) would work well in place of Flor de Caña, as would Caña Brava Rum (about $35 for 1 L) or 10 Cane (about $24 for 750 mL). Don Q (about $10 for 750 mL) is a nearly perfect replacement for Bacardi, if you want a light-tasting daiquiri or if you're mixing them for a crowd. If you want to go funky and don't have Clément, you could swap in La Favorite Blanc (about $38 for 1 L) or Neisson Blanc (about $45 for 1 L); both have the earthy funk and richness that you'd look for in an agricole-based daiquiri. Disclosure: Ron Diplomatico Blanco tasting sample provided for review consideration. Daiquiri Cocktail - Small Screen Network The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess Daiquiri Cocktail The daiquiri is a historic and iconic cocktail and John F. Kennedy’s favorite cocktail. It’s simplicity disguises what can be a complex and delicious cocktail when made correctly. 2 oz rum Strain into a cocktail glass.

Garnish with lime wheel. Robert Hess 17 Aug 2007 8:03 am These days it seems like most people think of the Daiquiri as being a “frozen” drink, which is unfortunate. Those drinking it that way are missing out on a great drink, and those who are “wanting” a great drink are avoiding it because they don’t like frozen drinks. You can use the Daiquiri to get a good handle on the whole “balance” thing with the lime juice and the simple syrup. Just play around with the ratios a bit until you feel that it isn’t too sweet or too sour for your palate. One thing I’ve learned is that the sweet/sour balance really does tend to vary from one person to another. -Robert Bikram 16 Dec 2007 7:59 am Robert, Do you think that the Vodka added to the simple syrup actually makes a difference? The effective concentration of alcohol would be pretty low, and fungi can tolerate reasonably high levels of alcohol since they produce it themselves. You can try a side by side test (with and without the vodka) to test your hypothesis.

Robert Hess 18 Dec 2007 12:14 pm I’ve never done a true scientific “side-by-side” test on this, but I have simply noticed that without alcohol, mold. With alcohol, no mold. But you’re right, I should try to get some more data. Would also be good to find out how much alcohol is needed and how long the ‘protection’ lasts (wrt. alcohol evaporation) Jonathan Gorman 25 Dec 2007 12:56 pm Robert, What is the right proportions for simple syrup? I’ve seen 1 pound sugar (about 2 cups) to 1 cup water - and 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water. Robert Hess 25 Dec 2007 1:54 pm There are essentially two main recipes people tend to use for simple syrup, either a 1 part sugar and 1 part water (by volume), or 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. Obviously the second results in a sweeter syrup, it is often refered to as “rich” simple syrup. Which you choose to use can be a bit of a personal choice.

I personally prefer the 2-to-1 version myself. But I have several friends who swear by the 1-to-1 version. -Robert Jonathan Gorman 25 Dec 2007 2:38 pm When you specify simple syrup in your instructions, are you using 1:1 or 2:1? Merry Christmas. Thomas 28 Jan 2008 5:31 pm Robert, I also notice that your syrup is tan. What kind of sugar do you use to make it? And I salute you atop your Soap Box regarding sour mix. Good speech! Robert Hess 29 Jan 2008 6:19 am We get so much lovely sunshine here in Seattle that lots of things take on that wonderful tan color. Ok, maybe not :-> Actually I used “Demerara” (aka. raw cane) sugar to make my simple syrup for this episode. I find that it has just a little bit of extra character to it. -Robert Owen Webb 29 Jan 2008 12:51 pm I’m a little confused by your comments regarding simply syrup.

In the episode you say you use a 1:1 ratio. Here in the comments you say you prefer to use a 2:1 ratio. When you use simply syrup in the episodes, are you giving us the recipe for 1:1 syrup or the richer 2:1 syrup. Thanks, Robert Hess 29 Jan 2008 1:16 pm Owen, Good catch… as I was rattling off at the mouth I should have said “two cups of sugar” instead of one. I personally prefer to use a 2:1 ratio in my syrup. Which of course raises another issue as to if “you” might happen to prefer the 1:1 ratio, how does that alter your drink? Well as you might expect it won’t be “quite” as sweet, and so you may need to slightly adjust the recipe to your palate, which is part of what makes “mixology” such a fun thing because we are each providing our own slight interpretation of a drink every time we make it. Thomas 2 Feb 2008 8:24 pm I can see the dense Seattle rainforest outside your window there, so I knew you were joking about the sun.

I recently tried finely granulated raw sugar in some bar syrup and it turned out kind of greenish. The coarser dememera or turbinado sugar you suggest here creates a better color. And a touch of molasses odor (but not flavor). Thanks for the tips! blair frodelius 8 Mar 2008 11:54 am Robert, Granted, we all should be using fresh squeezed juices and simple syrup when making a daquiri. Have you had any experience with the Freshies brand? Robert Hess 8 Mar 2008 10:16 pm I’ve never tried Freshies, but I personally can’t imagine any “mix” product being even close to fresh ingredients, except in very few cases and situations. Jon 25 Jul 2008 7:42 pm Robert, I absolutely love your series here. After watching a number of episodes, I decided to come back to this one to ask a question about your simple syrup. Exactly how much vodka do you add to keep it from molding? I’m afraid that I will add too much and have my drinks hint of vodka, or that I will add too little for it to be effective.

Robert Hess 26 Jul 2008 5:47 am Jon, To add enough vodka so you could taste the alcohol (since that is of course the only flavor that would come through) you’d have to add quite a bit. I use perhaps one ounce (or perhaps a little more) of vodka per pint of simple syrup. And I use a 151 proof vodka just for good measure. I’ve never tried any exhaustive tests to find out what the best amount to use is, but this appears to work fine for me. -Robert 9:01 am Robert, I am a bit confused here. On your drinkboy.com site, recipe for daiquiri calls for 1oz lime juice to one teaspoon sugar. In this video you do 1/2 oz lime juice to 3/4 oz (rich?) sugar syrup. Isn`t this too much of a difference? Thanks, Robert Hess 12 Mar 2009 10:22 am Ivana, Great Point! What this shows, is a gradual evolution that each of us will go through on our cocktailian journey.

Many of the recipes on my website were ones I put up when I first started the site over 10 years ago. Over the years, many of my thoughts on what makes a “great” cocktail, and more importantly, a properly “balanced” cocktail, have evolved, and while I mentally make the adjustment when making these cocktails, I haven’t been as dilligent as I could be at making sure that all of the reicpes on my site are evolving along with me… In the past it was very difficult for me to change recipes on my site, since to change just a single page on the site would essentially necessitate an entire day’s worth of work. But with the recent update to DrinkBoy.com, I’ve set it up so I can just make a simple update in the database, and the changes are automatically visible… so if you look now, the recipe has been updated! :-> What I really need to do, is just take the time to go through each recipe, one at a time, and make them as-indicated, and verify that they still reflect what I feel is a well balanced drink. Ivana 12 Mar 2009 11:23 am Thanks for the clarification.

I`ve made 5 daiquiris so far and I can`t make up my mind which one is “properly balanced” for my inexperienced palate :) Good luck on your site updates! Robert Hess 12 Mar 2009 12:51 pm For all cocktails, a key aspect of balance is so that as you are finishing off the drink, you wish the glass were “just a litlte” larger. Sometimes, if a drink is too sweet or too sour, the initial sip can be quite tasty, with your taste buds enjoying that extra little kick of flavor, but by the time you are finishing the drink you are getting a little fatigued from it. That, in my mind, is an unbalanced drink. David B. 5 Jun 2009 11:45 am The Daiquiri has quickly become a favorite when entertaining at my home bar. Recently I’ve started using Key Limes instead of the regular Persian Limes with good success. You have to be careful to not let any of the pith or the seeds make their way into the drink but if you can manage you’ll get a really nice treat.

Alan 27 Jul 2011 3:43 pm I usually drink Havana Club 3yr and have always used that for drinks such as this. Recently I splashed out on Appleton Estate 8yr and my was I overwhelmed. Hugh difference and I struggled with the drink a bit. I’m not sure if a darker and older aged rum such as that is suitable for a drink like this or if I just have to tinker with the ratios to find a suitable one. Robert Hess 28 Jul 2011 6:37 am Havana Club 3 year… don’t rub in in. We can’t (easily) get that here in the US :-> Rum is a facinating topic. There is a far broader landscape in rum “character” then I think in any of the other spirits, so it can often be challenging (and exciting) to see how different rums work in different cocktails. The Daiquiri I think is one of the drinks that benefits from a lighter style rum, but that said, it can also work well with some of the slightly more robust rums, but you’ll want to start flexing the recipe around to make it work properly.

When you find any tried and true recipe of yours that suddenly becomes less palatable due to a change of brand/product, you should start playing around with the ratios of the ingredients to see if you can bring it back into line again. Through experimentations like this you’ll really gain a better understanding of the underlying components. Gaz Regan tells of a time he was at the Ritz in New York, and Norman was bartending. He noticed various customers ordering a Manhattan and specifically calling for a particular whiskey. In each one Norman would use a different amount of vermouth. When asked about it, Norman commented that each whiskey needed a slightly different ratio in order to make it properly balanced. -Robert Alan 28 Jul 2011 8:34 am Thanks for the reply. Yeah I think I’d have to agree that sometimes with a different spirit you need to adjust the ratios. Havana 3yr to Appleton 8yr is quite a leap in flavour. I can happily report that after many years of Barcardi dominating the market Havana Club has now found its way into many bars, off-licenses and supermarkets. It has seemingly succeeded on name alone since there is very little advertising and marketing versus the former’s massive campaigns.

If it is of any consolation, here in Ireland it can be very hard to get good American whiskey - many supermarkets and off-licenses usually only stock Jim Beam or Jack Daniels and if you find Maker’s Mark anywhere it’s usually at least €35! That isn’t to say I can’t get hold of bourbons but the cheapest other than the previously mentioned that I can find is Bulleit which is €30. Tequilla is another spirit that can be hard to come by. I mean, you can of course get Olmeca as well as Jose Cuervo mixtos in many places and unfortunately this is most people’s introduction to tequilla. 100% can be hard to find and when you do find it is quite expensive. See: jellydonut 16 Aug 2011 7:29 am In honor of National Rum Day (even though I’m not American), I made this with; - 1 1/2 oz Ron Cubay 10 Anejo ten year old Cuban rum, very strong flavor - juice of one lime (no, when I’m at home I refuse to measure it and thus throwing away some of the juice of the lime.

:p) - equal part of sweet to sour, in this case I used home-made honey syrup. (simple syrup.. with honey instead of sugar) - The Bitter Truth aromatic bitters, one dash - The Bitter Truth orange bitters.. at least four dashes. I just poured a little. dripdripdrip. You can tell your daiquiri is a classic when it’s *brown* from the aged rum and the honey syrup instead of being fluorescent green from commercial sour mix. ^_^ It’s not a very strong drink, you can see my non-alcoholic ingredients are at least equal to the alcohol. Call me whatever you like, I don’t care. :p I’m not looking to get drunk on a Tuesday so I’ll be making a Rum Old Fashioned later on, to continue celebrating National Rum Day. c: Ben Golden 20 Jul 2012 7:16 pm The use of commercial sour mix is extremely frustrating to me. Whenever I order a drink at a regular old neighborhood restaurant, I usually have to avoid sour style drinks because I know they will be made with sour mix, which makes me feel kind of sick just drinking it.

That’s an incredible shame because sour style drinks are among my favorite kinds, and they tend to go well with meals if properly made, as opposed to dry style French-Italian drinks (e.g. Martinis and Manhattans) which I tolerate best before dinner or well after it, but not during. We’ve seen bans on trans-fat foods, wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could get the same to happen with artificial sour mix? :-D Peter_Timms 2 Aug 2012 Martin OK 22 Aug 2013 7:44 am Dear Robert, First of all, thank you for these outstanding videos. In conjunction with your excellent book, I have been thoroughly enjoying my forays into the homemade cocktail world (and so have my friends, incidentally). I was wondering what your thoughts were on pre-made simple syrups. I haven’t made my own yet, but have often used Monin sugar syrup. I find that this works well for some drinks, but they don’t deliver as nicely on the sours. Does this have to do with the ratios they employ? If you would have to use a pre-made simple syrup, which would you recommend?

Thank you again for all your informative and exciting videos. All the best from the UK - Martin Robert Hess 24 Aug 2013 11:43 pm Martin, Regarding “pre-made” simple syrup… the only time I use them is in those very rare cases where I can’t seem to find any sugar on hand. Simple syrup is SO easy to make, and you then have complete control over the sugar ratio so relying on some unknown ratio is not an issue. The standard simple syrup that most bars use is a plain 1-to-1 ratio. just fill a bottle half full with water, then fill the rest with sugar and give it a good solid shake for about 30 seconds. The level will settle down a bit, so add a little more water, then shake again for about 30 seconds or so. Now let it sit for a few minutes and use it as you wish. It might still be just a little cloudy, but that will diminish over the next few minutes. There is also the notion of “rich” simple syrup, which you have seen me use on the show a few times.

You can’t really use the cold water method here, but instead you put one cup of water into a saucepan, bring it to a simmer, add two cups of water, and stir until fully dissolved. Allow to cool, and you are ready to go. Then there is what is known as “rock candy” syrup. This I believe is usually a 4-to-1 ratio (1 cup water, 4 cups sugar) which you also need to do at a simmer. It takes a little longer to get fully dissolved, but you end up with a fairly dense sugar syrup. They call it “rock candy” because if once it is cooled you dangle a cotton string in it, the sugar will crystalize on the string and form a solid piece of sugar (aka. rock candy). -Robert Daiquiri Cocktail Recipe You must be logged in to post a comment. Adding comment … dannynannady2007.2b626c1 posted 10 months ago I usually enjoy the videos with Dushan, but FREE POURING a daiquiri???? You gotta be out of your mind...

johndixon548gmailcom1017305228 posted 1 year ago I made this tonight with Pusser's British Navy Rum and Rose's Lime Juice. Very citrusy until I added an additional .5 oz (ish) of rum. Refreshing! cholo7 posted 2 years ago I thought the classic is supposed to be with light rum?? CocktailSeb posted 2 years ago Dark Rum?!?! Strawberry Daiquiri recipe | Epicurious.com Fair. Not much flavor when recipe followed exactly. Tried adding more strawberries and lime and sugar but still not great. apmcd from Naples, Fl / Flag if Inappropriate Hi Sat in the " Friends Cafe " in Chiang Mai, having been on a day trip to Mon Jam in the hills above Chiang Mai. We were discusding with the owner all the strawberries her cousin was growing, a government assisted project to encourage the hill tribes to move away from opium growing. We renamed the Daiquiri to the Strawberry Mai Quiri. Using Thai black rum and the local strawberries to you recipe.

What a hit, remember wher you heard the name first:) jem5 from Palma de Mallorca, Spain / Flag if Inappropriate I made the recipe with dark rum (Myers) and it was delicious. Used lime juice from my own limes growing inside! ChristinaJ from Maine / Flag if Inappropriate I like the simplicity and freshness of this recipe, but I liked it with more sugar and more ice. Just an opinion... Amelia0719 from Houston, TX / Make-Ahead Frozen Fruit Daiquiris Make-Ahead Frozen Fruit Daiquiris Frozen Fruit Daiquiris By Monica 5-6 (1-cup) servings These easy & delicious daiquiris can be made ahead, frozen in mason jars, and enjoyed at any time. Make them in a variety of fruit flavors for a party--always a crowd pleaser! Ingredients 6 oz. (3/4 cup) frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate (*see substitute at end of directions) 6 oz.

(3/4 cup) light rum 4 cups frozen fruit*; may substitute fresh, flavorful, ripe fruit 2 cups ice cubes sweetener (optional), to taste, if desired (superfine sugar, agave syrup, or other preferred sweetener) fresh fruit for garnish (optional) Directions In a blender, combine lemonade/limeade concentrate, rum, and fruit. (Berries can be added whole; other fruits should be cut into cubes/pieces.) Blend until smooth. Add ice. Blend until smooth, and no ice chunks remain. Taste and add sweetener, if desired. If flavor is too intense, add more ice cubes and blend. For stronger fruit flavor, add more fruit and blend.

*RECOMMENDED FRUIT: --Strawberry (raspberry & blackberry not recommended for this "whole fruit" method, because their larger seeds result in a gritty drinking texture) --Blueberry --Pineapple (optional: add 1 cup canned light coconut milk for a Pina Colada) MAKE AHEAD MASON JAR DAIQUIRIS: Pour blended daiquiris into 1/2 pint (1 cup) mason jars, leave at least 1/2" at the top to allow for expansion when they freeze, screw on the lids and freeze. To serve, remove from freezer (let them set out for 5-15 minutes if they're too hard) & use a fork to break up and stir the semi-frozen daiquiris into a slushy consistency. The alcohol keeps them from freezing to a hard solid state, so they're always ready to remove from the freezer, stir, serve, and drink. These will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer. TO MIX FLAVORS IN ONE JAR: Layer 2 or more layers in a single jar for a pretty presentation and mixed fruit flavor.

Pour 1st layer into jar, freeze for 2 hours, add 2nd layer and freeze, repeat with any remaining layers. Try layering Strawberry, Pineapple (or Pina Colada), and Blueberry for a festive 4th of July daiquiri. VIRGIN DAIQUIRIS: omit rum and substitute equivalent amount of water. Taste and add sweetener, if needed. If made ahead, these will reach a hard ice state when refrozen due to the lack of alcohol. Remove them from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for 15-25 minutes before stirring into a slushy consistency. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: approx.

the same for an 8-oz serving of all of the plain fruit flavors: 208 calories; .5g fat; 36g carbs; 2g fiber; .6g protein; 4 Weight Watchers PtsPlus For an 8-oz serving of the Pina Colada (a pineapple daiquiri plus light coconut milk): 246 calories; 4g fat; 36.2g carbs; 2g fiber; 1.5g protein; 5 Weight Watchers Pts Plus *If you prefer to avoid the high fructose corn syrup often used in frozen limeade and lemonade concentrates, you may substitute: --1/2 cup fresh lime or lemon juice --1/3 cup agave nectar OR honey OR simple sugar syrup. (Taste and add more sweetener, if needed.) Previously, I shared my popular Make-Ahead Frozen Margarita recipe. It's time for another of my favorite frozen drinks--daiquiris! Like the margaritas, I've been making these for many years. These are so easy, and always a crowd pleaser. Early in our marriage, King-Man and I lived in Tucson, Arizona.

We had a tradition with some fun neighbors of hanging out on our deck on weekends and drinking strawberry daiquiris. We were grad students and didn't have much money, but an evening on the deck with good friends and pitcher of frozen daiquiris was all we needed for a fun night out in. This simple recipe is one of those that makes me nostalgic. When I make a batch today, it still takes me back to those good times on our Tucson deck. I love that about food and recipes. Through the years, made over and over again, they become a connection with good friends and simple traditions, even when we're miles apart. Pat and Jose’, our daiquiris-on-the-deck Tucson friends, this one's for you! 4 fruit flavors with endless variations. For years I made just the strawberry version of these daiquiris; but it's so easy to adapt this recipe for any kind of fruit, that I've been branching out to other flavors. In today's recipe, I use the same procedure for making 4 daiquiri flavors: strawberry, blueberry, mango and pineapple. You can also turn a pineapple daiquiri into a pina colada simply by adding coconut milk.

I'll show you how I layer more than one flavor in a single glass or jar--just for fun. Feel free to get creative with other fruits, too, or blend together more than one kind. Simple ingredients with LOTS of fruit. My recipe is heavier on the fruit than most daiquiri recipes, resulting in a more intense fruit flavor and vibrant color. In fact over 50% of these daiquiris are made of fruit. (That makes them healthy, right???) It's basically a fruit puree mixed with some rum. For convenience, you can add some frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate for a tart sweetener; or, you can use fresh lemon/lime juice and sweeten it with agave, honey, or a simple syrup. The fruit puree is often sweet enough that no additional sweetener is needed, but you can easily adjust the sweetness to suit you. Frozen fruit is preferred. Unless you have access to freshly picked, ripe, sweet, and flavorful fruit, frozen fruit works best in these daiquiris.

Truth is, frozen fruit is picked at its peak of ripeness and frozen right away and is often more flavorful, sweet, and nutritious than fresh fruit that is picked before it's ripe and stored--all the while losing nutrients. It's disappointing to buy gorgeous looking fresh strawberries that turn out to be flavorless. Go ahead and use fresh fruit, if you prefer; I know there's so much great fresh fruit available in the summer months. However, you may need to taste-test and add some sweetener if you use fresh fruit. Make-ahead convenience! I love to serve these when we have parties, but I don't want to be a slave to the blender all night. You can make these frozen daiquiris ahead and pour them into individual size mason jars and put them in the freezer where they are ready to serve when the guests arrive. No last minute preparation or blending drinks throughout the party. Love the convenience; and it's a fun, novel way to serve the daiquiris that our guests always enjoy. King-Man and I like having them on hand in our freezer, too. You can also take a cooler full of these pre-made daiquiris along to a picnic--always a hit! Nutritional information.

I wouldn't call these health food, but as alcoholic drinks go, these aren't as naughty as most because of the use of whole fruit with a relatively small amount of added sweetener. an 8-oz serving of all of the 4 plain fruit flavors are approx. the same: 208 calories; .5g fat; 36g carbs; 2g fiber; .6g protein; 4 Weight Watchers PtsPlus an 8-oz serving of the Pina Colada (a pineapple daiquiri plus light coconut milk): 246 calories; 4g fat; 36.2g carbs; 2g fiber; 1.5g protein; 5 Weight Watchers Pts Plus Step-by-step photos for Step 1. Assemble these ingredients & supplies. Light rum Frozen fruit (or ripe, flavorful fresh fruit); strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, or mangos. For a smoother consistency, avoid using raspberries or blackberries because their seeds are larger and give the daiquiris a gritty texture. (I personally don't mind that gritty texture, but it's not for everyone.) Peaches work well, too.

Lite coconut milk (the canned kind found in the Asian aisle of grocery stores)--this is optional for making a pina colada version of the pineapple daiquiri ( view coconut milk on Amazon ) Frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate. Look for this convenient ready-made frozen concentrate in the freezer case at your grocery store. Although harder to find, organic versions don't contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). OR, you avoid the HFCS in frozen concentrate by substituting fresh lemon or lime juice plus either agave nectar, honey, or simple sugar syrup . (This is my preference.) My printable recipe at the end of the post provides both options. view on Amazon: organic agave nectar syrup Ice cubes Blender - You need a blender that can handle blending ice and frozen fruit well. I use my full-size KitchenAid blender for making these. ( view my blender on Amazon ) Mason jars - I use half-pint jars; perfect for a single serving ( view jars on Amazon ) The photos below illustrate mixing a batch of Strawberry Daiquiris. (Use the same procedure for any fruit variety.) Step 2. Add to blender: rum, lemonade/limeade concentrate (or fresh citrus juice and sweetener), fruit.

Blend until smooth. Add ice and blend again until smooth. Done! You can enjoy the daiquiris right away if you like. Just pour them into a glass and say "Cheers!" Or, you can put the blended daiquiris in the freezer to drink at another time. MAKE AHEAD MASON JAR DAIQUIRIS. Pour blended daiquiris into 1/2 pint (1 cup) mason jars, leave about 1/2 inch at the top for expansion when they freeze, screw on the lids and freeze. To serve, remove from freezer, let them rest for 5-15 minutes until they soften a bit & use a fork to break up and stir the semi-frozen daiquiris into a slushy consistency. The alcohol keeps them from freezing to a hard solid state, so they're always ready to remove from the freezer, stir, serve, and drink. These will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer. Here are 4 varieties: strawberry, blueberry, mango, and pineapple. I added some coconut milk to the pineapple to make it a pina colada--so yum! You'll love keeping these stocked in the freezer for a refreshing drink at a moment's notice.

FREEZE IN BIGGER BATCHES, TOO. You can freeze them in bigger batches in large jars or containers. Remove them from the freezer, let them thaw a few minutes, stir enough to soften, and pour or scoop them into glasses. TO MIX MULTIPLE FLAVORS IN ONE JAR: Layer 2 or more layers in a single jar for a pretty presentation and mixed fruit flavor. Pour 1st layer into jar, freeze for 2 hours, add 2nd layer and freeze, repeat with any remaining layers. Try layering Strawberry, Pineapple (or Pina Colada), and Blueberry flavors. CUSTOMIZE COLORS FOR ANY OCCASION. You can layer any fruit colors to represent team, school, or holiday colors. Red and white for Valentines or St. Louis Cardinals baseball (forgive me, I had to send a little love to the home team); red, white, and kiwi green for Christmas, etc. ADD EASY GARNISHES Add fruit garnishes using cocktail skewers for an easy way to fancy them up. Cut fruit into shapes with mini cookie cutters. I cut pineapple slices into star shapes for these. View on Amazon: mini cookie cutters , bamboo cocktail skewers Aren't they pretty?

These are all ready for a 4th of July or Memorial Day party. VIRGIN DAIQUIRIS? Easy. Omit the rum and substitute an equivalent amount of water. Taste and add sweetener, if needed. If made ahead, these will reach a harder ice state when refrozen due to the lack of alcohol. Remove them from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for 15-25 minutes before stirring into a slushy consistency. GET READY TO PARTY! You might want to make up a blender or two of daiquiris, freeze them in individual jars or glasses, and be ready for your next party or picnic. Whether celebrating the start of summer, the 4th of July, or any ol' day you choose, these daiquiris are hard to beat. Put them in a cooler covered with ice, for a portable way to beat the heat. Let me know if you have a favorite flavor or come up with a new one. Make it a Yummy day!

Monica BBC Food - Recipes - Strawberry Daiquiri Strawberry Daiquiri 4 fresh strawberries , plus ½ strawberry to garnish 2 tsp white sugar 35ml/1½fl oz white rum 1 tbsp strawberry liqueur 25ml/1fl oz lime juice Method Place the strawberries, sugar, rum, strawberry liqueur and lime juice into the base of a cocktail shaker and mash (muddle) with the end of a clean rolling pin. Place the lid onto the cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain the mixture into a Martini glass and garnish with half a strawberry. Find a recipe on BBC Food Quick & Easy

Question: What spirit is used to make Daquari?
Answer: Rum