Post #554367 by Hurricane Hayward on Thu, Sep 16, 2010 11:28 PM

I just came across this recipe apparently posted by someone at The Mai-Kai:
http://cocktail.com/2010/09/10/floridita-daiquiri-a-la-mai-kai/

Floridita Daiquiri a la Mai-Kai

3 oz Anejo rum
3 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz sugar syrup (or 1 teaspoon of sugar)

Combine all ingredients into a blender, add 2 cups ice, and process until smooth. Serves 2. For non-alcoholic, substitute club soda for rum.

Submitted by the Mai-Kai, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This is believed to be one of Ernest Hemingway’s old favorite from Havana.

That's the Floridita at left, hanging out with his friend The Mutiny

Authentic, accurate Mai-Kai recipes are so scarce I thought this needed further investigation so I had the drink last Saturday night at the Mai-Kai and then made it myself at home. Using Bacardi Anejo (which I'm guessing they use at the bar), it seems to be spot-on. It's on the mild menu, so they might cut back on the rum a bit. It says "serves 2" but this seems to be the size of a single serving at the restaurant.

It's slightly different than other "Floridita" recipes floating around (notably missing the maraschino liquor). They probably used Havana Club in the original incarnation at the Mai-Kai in the 1950s. It might be worth tapping into that bottle of Havana Club 7-year-old Anejo that I've been hoarding since Hukilau to get a taste of the real deal.

While on the subject, RumDood has some interesting info on the whole Hemmingway Daiquiri mystery: http://rumdood.com/2010/05/26/hemingway-daiquiri/