Infinite MonkeysIf it were the Summer of Rum -- and it isn't -- then I would link without reservation to Eric Felten's article in the Wall Street Journal on Ernest Hemingway's love for rum drinks, especially the daiquiri. Whoops. Looks like I linked to it anyway. The daiquiri is one of those great drinks that's been ruined by time, cheap booze and what I would call the Slurpefication of cocktails.
Any other year, I would make a stronger case for the classic Hemingway daiquiri. I'll leave it instead to Felten, who always entertains and educates. We learn, for example, that "Hemingway allowed no sugar in his Daiquiris. His Doble-drinking hero in the posthumously published 'Islands in the Stream' declares that what makes him love to drink is 'drinking these double frozens without sugar.' Part of the reason Hemingway abjured sweet drinks was that it was harder to put them away in quantity: 'If you drank that many with sugar it would make you sick.'"
Did Papa know best? As it's the Summer of Gin, I really can't say. What gin drink beats a daiquiri? I would recommend an Aviation: 2 oz. gin, 1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur, 1/4 oz. lemon juice, cherry garnish. (Recipes can and do vary, however.) A great, refreshing (non-rum) cocktail for a hot afternoon.
Posted by Ben at May 25, 2008 12:22 AMWell, when the subject is drinking in large quantities, no one can argue with Ernie's tips.
As for wasting good booze, that reminds me of seeing people waste good vodka -- like, say, stuff that runs $30 a bottle -- by mixing it with the abominable Red Bull.
A sin. Simply a sin.
Kids these days.
Posted by: Dr. Zaius at May 25, 2008 11:03 AM