Saturday, February 17, 2007

Havana


Havana

1 1/2 oz. Gosling's rum
3/4 oz. Cointreau
1/2 fresh lime juice
1/4 oz. simple syrup
splash of orange juice
dash of orange bitters

Combine all ingredients in ice-filled shaker. Shake until cold and strain into sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with edible flowers.


Welcome! Since I'm currently in the grips of sub-freezing temps, I decided to start things off with a drink that evokes a warmer climate. This one comes from The Art of the Bar by Jeff Hollinger and Rob Schwartz.

The first thing I noticed was how well-balanced this drink is. It's both tart and sweet, with a gentle, natural orange flavor throughout. The rum comes through but doesn't dominate, which makes me think this would be a great drink to convert someone who's not necessarily a fan of rum. I also used fresh-squeezed O.J., which livens up the recipe a bit.

If you're in an experimental mood, try a variant using Rhum Barbancourt instead of the Gosling's...it'll result in a drink that is lighter, crisper, and has a bit more citrus bite.

One last note: In many recipes, Myers's is often considered an acceptable substitute for Gosling's due to both being dark rums. If you use Myers's in this recipe you will be disappointed. Using Myers's utterly changes the complexion of the drink, deadening the citrus flavors and leaving the whole affair flat-tasting.

Happy mixing!

9 comments:

Craig Anthony Puckett said...

Hey MM! Love the idea...I don't know my liquor as well as I'd like, so it's very much appreciated!

Mike said...

I wonder if Cuba has an open container law. I'm sure driving with a giant martini glass is just inviting trouble! However, I really love that illustration!

Vanessa said...

This drink (preferably in the parade float-sized version on the hood of her car) would definitely be a nice cure for my winter Monday!

June said...

Thanks for the tip about rums. I'm a long-time Myers's lover and have never tried Gosling's, so I'll have to give it a shot.

~ Desi

jimmyp said...

Welcome to the drink-o-sphere. Cool illustration, and a good drink to start with.

Jimmy

Kim said...

Sounds good! I'll be needing some drink recipes in no time, I'm sure. I can't live off of Grey Goose and Sweet and Sour forever. LOL

natalie@theliquidmuse.com said...

Welcome to the wet and wild world of blogging 'bout booze! Great first post!

Cheers,
The Liquid Muse

Anonymous said...

Sounds delightful, but as I've been unable to find orange bitters in my area, it may be a while before I can try it.

As for your suggestion to use Rhum Barbancourt, I haven't had much luck using it in cocktails. It's so smooth and light that its excellent flavor typically gets overpowered, so I reserve it strictly for sipping now.

Looking forward to seeing more from you!

Dr. Bamboo said...

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement everyone! Hopefully I can continue to come up with something worth coming back for!