Serious summertime sipping …
I stumbled onto this delight on Fathers Day, when my son William took me out for drinks. (What a great kid!) We went to Pearl Diver, one of the dozens of watering holes that have popped up recently on the East Side near his house. The concept at Pearl Diver is Tiki/Caribbean/Tropical – or something like that – and the vibe is friendly.
Lots of the drinks on the menu are crazy concoctions, but there are some more serious choices as well. This is one of those.
Serious.
Boozy to the max, it hits you hard at first sip, but smoothes out thereafter. Go slowly and you’ll find it refreshing and exactly right for hot, humid summer sipping.
It’s a classic from Havana in the 1920s. Recipes I’ve found in books and on line are all based on rum, dry vermouth, and usually dry curaçao. But they vary somewhat from there. I’ve tried lots of them – I consider cocktail research a public service – and this is the one I like best.
El Presidente
1.5 ounce white rum
1.5 ounce dry vermouth (I’m using Dolin in this one)
.25 ounce orange curaçao
.25 ounce grenadine (it’s gotta be the real stuff, not Rose’s)
Combine all the ingredients, shake with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. I like a coupe for this one. An orange peel makes a nice garnish.