The El Floridita cocktail was one of the many house specialty drinks that was served at this still popular Cuban bar, but it is not so well known anymore, being very much overshadowed by its more simplified sibling The Daiquiri.
El Floridita Cocktail
- 1 1/2 ounces rum
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1/2 teaspoon white creme de cacao
- 1/2 teaspoon grenadine
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
The secret to this drink is measuring carefully. Too much lime juice will quickly overpower it, and be especially careful with the white creme de cacao and the grenadine. When finished, there should be just barely a hint of chocolate flavor spreading throughout the drink. It should be so timid in fact that it almost requires somebody to tell you it is there for you to notice it.
You will also notice that the recipe as listed is quite small when compared to some of the more modern recipes you might be using. Once made, this drink will consist of about 3 1/2 ounces of total liquid. Instead of scaling this recipe up to fit those mondo 10 ounce cocktail glasses you might have, I'd recommend investing in a few smaller glasses of the 4 to 5 ounce variety. There are several advantages to such smaller glassware, one is that the drink won't have time to warm up as you sip it, but more importantly is that you'll have a chance to experiment with several drinks a night without ill effects.
