It is impossible to discuss Cuban cuisine without talking about the nation’s excellent cocktails. Many of these feature Cuban rum and are well-known internationally. One of the best features of these beverages is how refreshing they are. Be aware that the drinks listed below are subject to the unique mixing choices of their makers, so variations can be expected. Enjoy!
1 Mojito
The mojito, which is made of fresh ingredients like lime, mint, sugar and rum, is one of Cuba’s oldest cocktail drinks. The name comes “moho,” an African word that means to cast “a little spell.” American author Ernest Hemingway loved the drink and made it famous in Havana and in Key West, Florida. Hemingway wasn’t alone in popularizing the mojito, however. The actor Pierce Brosnan enjoyed the drink in the James Bond film “Die Another Day,” and it was featured often on the TV show “Miami Vice.” According to legend, the mojito can be traced to 1586 when Francis Drake and his pirates attempted to rob Havana of its gold. While the search for gold was unsuccessful, perhaps in compensation, one of the party was served a drink called “El Draque,” which consisted of aquardiente – a forerunner of rum – sugar, lime and mint “for medicinal purposes.” And the rest is history.
2 The Cubata, or Cuba Libre
Arguably one of the best known of Cuban beverages, there are many stories about the origin of the Cuba Libre. One story claims it was invented when individuals helping Cuba in the Spanish-American War mixed rum and cola to drink a toast to “Free Cuba!” Another origin story is that the Cuba Libre was concocted first in a Cuban bar by a member of the US Signal Corp in 1900. This was the first year that Coca-Cola was available in Cuba, being introduced by American troops. However, “Cuba Libre!” was the battle cry of the Cuban Liberation Army during the 1898 war of independence.
3 The Daiquiri
The name of the drink, which is made with sugar, rum and limes, is the same as a beach and iron mine near Santiago de Cuba. The basic recipe for the daiquiri is similar to the grog enjoyed by British sailors in the 18th and 19th centuries. Grog – which in 1795 contained rum, water, lemon or lime juice, and 2 ounces of sugar – was common in the Caribbean. The name derives from the Taino language, but the drink is believed to have been invented by Jennings Cox, an American mining engineer in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Originally served over cracked ice, the evolved to be mixed with shaved ice in a shaker. Daiquiris remained a fairly local Cuban drink until 1909, when a US Navy Admiral, a medical officer, tried it and introduced it to the Army and Navy Club in Washington DC. It became especially popular during World War II when it was difficult to get whiskey and vodka, but rum was available due to President Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy.
4 El Presidente
This drink became popular in Havana during the 1920s through 1940s. It was named for President Gerardo Morales, who was a general in the nation’s War of Independence and its president from 1925 to 1933. It is made from black vermouth, white rum, and a dash of grenadine. It is served over ice chips in a glass that contains cherries and orange peel. The cocktail first received an accurate description in a 1919 New York newspaper article, and by the mid 1920s, it is said it was brought to Havana by Americans fleeing Prohibition in the US. It became a favorite drink of the upper classes in Cuba.
5 Saoco
This drink is made with green coconut water, aguardiente rum that is made from sugar cane juice, and sugar. It is said that this mixture of alcohol and coconut was used as a tonic by Cuban slaves in the 15th century. The Saoco is believed to have significant health benefits.
