A perfect Daiquiri is a study in elegant simplicity. Made with only three ingredients, it must be precisely measured and perfectly prepared. Otherwise it will taste different each and every time you make it. This kind of simplicity, precision, and perfection are the exact things for which Sasha Petraske was so well known. Today’s Daiquiri is the third cocktail that I’m sharing from his book Regarding Cocktails, which is filled with recipes from the many bars and bartenders that fell under his huge umbrella of influence. Each of the recipes has an introduction from one of these bartenders, or from other friends and colleagues that were connected to Petraske in one way or another. The introduction to the Daiquiri was written by Abraham Hawkins from the bar Dutch Kills. I chose this particular cocktail for today’s post because I loved the way Hawkins captures Petraske’s perfectionism, especially as it relates to measurements and ingredients. Hawkins describes how Petraske would often cut back the lime juice in a Daiquiri to 7/8 of an ounce because, depending on the limes, a full ounce could often be too tart. This relates to the broader idea of the importance of tasting every drink, especially the first few of the night. According to Hawkins, “Sasha’s pursuit of quality was relentless… Every drink had to be perfect and they all had to go out together. What mattered always was quietly and unobtrusively doing our part – not for applause or personal gain, but simply because it was the right way to do things.” For today’s post, I made the Daiquiri both ways and ended up liking the one with the full ounce of lime juice better. It’s the drink to the right in the picture above. The one with less juice tasted a bit too sweet and off balance. I’ve always believed that the best way to learn anything related to beverages is by doing side-by-side comparisons. It was hard to grasp the idea that just a mere 1/8 of an ounce could matter that much, but the difference in the taste of the two drinks was indisputable. Definitely give it a try at home. It’ll sharpen your palate and give you a sense of appreciation for how important precision really is. Cheers everyone. Happy Monday!

The Perfect Daiquiri

2 oz Cooper River Distillers white rum
⅞ oz to 1 oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz simple syrup

Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until very cold. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. No garnish Enjoy!