The classic daiquiri has been bastardized.  (I said it.)  The all-inclusive  resorts have misled our poor 18-year-old spring breakers and started a sad trend of icy, blended, sweet, frothy monstrosities with crazy straws and paper umbrellas.*

Many don’t know that the classic daiquiri is not only delicious, but incredibly easy to make.  It should start with a quality rum … no plastic bottles or cartoon characters!  I started with Rum Diplomático, a Venezuelan dark rum that is distilled from molasses.  Aged for 12 years, it has a dark gold color and has a slightly sweet taste.  Their daiquiri recipe is below.

DIPLOMÁTICO DAIQUIRI
1 1/2 oz Rum Diplomático
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 oz simple syrup
Garnish: lime wheel

Rum Diplomático asked me to come up with my own daiquiri recipe, a task for which I’m always game.  I added a little peach to it and have two versions of the recipe to try out–one slightly easier than the other!

CLASSIC PEACH DAIQUIRI
1 1/4 oz Rum Diplomático
3/4 oz Leopold Brothers Peach Schnapps or homemade peach liqueur (recipe below)
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
Garnish: lime wheel & peach slice

Shake wet ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice.  Strain into a daiquiri glass and garnish with a lime wheel and peach slice.

If you’re anything like me, the only way that you get your fruits for the day is in your cocktails.  If you’re in need of your daily Potassium and Vitamins A & C, try this version with a little higher nutritional value.

CLASSIC PEACH DAIQUIRI
1 1/2 oz Rum Diplomático
3/4 oz peach puree
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 simple syrup
Garnish: lime wheel & peach slice

Shake wet ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice.  Strain into a daiquiri glass and garnish with a lime wheel and peach slice.

National Daiquiri Day is coming up on July 19, so try your hand at a big kids daiquiri for a change.  (Paper umbrellas are still acceptable if you can’t do without them.)

HOMEMADE PEACH LIQUEUR
2 cups vodka
4 large peaches, roughly chopped
Zest of one lemon
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water

Steep the peaches and lemon zest in vodka in a tightly sealed in a cool, dark place.  After about two or three days, strain the liquid through a high-gauge coffee filter squeezing as much liquid as possible out of the peaches.

Place the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then heat until it becomes syrupy.  Let the mixture cool, then combine it with the peach liquid.  Leave for at least one day and store up to two months in the refrigerator.

*Ok … paper umbrellas are admittedly awesome.  They will still be allowed … when appropriate.