Latin-Influenced Cocktails
Sofrito Lovers,
Today is Wednesday, Hump Day, and nothing gets you over that midweek hurtle better than a nice delicious drink! Now, I'm not saying that alcohol is the cure for midweek stress, but it does help...significantly!
I've posted three scrumptious Latino/Latin-inspired drink recipes and provided you with the link to the Fifty Best/Latin Influenced Cocktails and Drinks from the website: www.fiftybest.com.
Treat yourself to a delicious midweek Mojito, creamy Piña Colada, or an amazing Peruvian Pisco Sour! You deserve it, but remember to drink responsibly! You don't want to deal with a Thursday morning hangover! The bosses hate that!
Go taste for yourself! ¡Buen Provecho y Salud!
Pomegranate Smash
2 bar spoons of fresh pomegranate
1/2 pint glass of mint leaves with sprigs
2 oz. Gran Duque D’Alba Spanish Brandy
3/4 oz. simple syrup
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
Technique: First the muddle mint, then add pomegranate arils and lightly press down with your muddler so as not to break the seeds. Shake with ice. Double strain over fresh ice into a highball glass. Garnish with pomegranate arils.
This is a Sour Cocktail which is an American classic using lemon juice and sugar. I simply added lightly muddled pomegranate arils and Spanish Brandy. Fresh pomegranate fruit which was introduced to South America and California by the Spanish settlers around 1769. We still get most of our pomegranates from South American countries.
- Freddy Diaz
Mojito
10-12 fresh mint leaves
1 whole lime (for juicing)
3/4 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. white rum
2 oz. club soda
Technique: Muddle the mint, squeeze in the lime juice and add the simple syrup. Shake lightly with crushed ice. Pour into highball, add more ice if needed. Stir in the rum and top off with club soda.
Piña Colada
2 oz. of white rum
1½ oz. Cream of Coconut (preferably Coco Lopez)
4 oz. pineapple juice
1/2 cup of ice
Technique: Combine all of the ingredients in an electric blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a Hurricane glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish with a fresh pineapple wedge and a cherry.
Caribe Hilton bartender Ramon "Monchito" Marrero first conceived of the Piña Colada in 1954.