There is something about a sweet, tropical drink that really captures the essence of a vacation. Sure, you might be introduced to one of these magically sweet—and often surprisingly strong—École du Bar de Montréal concoctions while on vacation on some tropical island, but try having one in your home town. Perhaps after a rough week at work; just have a single one of these libations and you might just be whisked away to an island paradise, if even for just a moment.
Sometimes a moment is all you need.
The DAIQUIRI
The traditional daiquiri is a lime-flavored cocktail shaken and strained into a glass. Of course, this has been modified somewhat since the daiquiri is now commonly blended (and often ordered as strawberry). The classic daiquiri recipe is a simple mix of light rum, sugar, and lime juice, though you could use a homemade sweet and sour mix if you prefer. Fresh ingredients are always best so even if you do prefer it blended, ask the bartender to skip the pre-mix.
The MAGARITA
Different from the daiquiri by only one degree, the margarita is another classic cocktail that every bartender should know how to make. The difference? Instead of rum, the margarita uses tequila. The best margarita—much like the daiquiri—will mix fresh lime juice with sugar, but in this case you could opt for a slightly aged tequila. This will give the drink a little more earthy complexity. Consider a reposado (aged at least 6 months) as the Anejo tequilas (aged 12 months) are best for sipping, like a good scotch.
The PINA COLADA
Things don’t get more tropical than the unmistakably coconut-pineapple Pina Colada. Indeed, it is made with rum, pineapple juice, and coconut milk (and make sure they are fresh or at least natural, not a syrupy frozen mix) but some recipes use different types of rum, too.
The LAVA FLOW
If you like pina coladas and strawberry daiquiries you might want to give this a try. After all, this is just a pina colada with blended strawberries first added at the bottome of the glass (it makes a streak of bright red, like lava).