Will the real daiquiri please stand up?

Drinks anyone?

Will the real daiquiri please stand up?
BY WILLIAM M. DOWD

The original daiquiri, as created and nurtured in Cuba and named for a river, a village and an area on the east side of the island, was not a frozen drink. Served nicely chilled, yes. But resembling a slushy, no.

However, the daiquiri has morphed over time to become one of those froufrou drinks that has perverted the original and upset purists worldwide with the introduction of various extra sweeteners, fruits and crushed ice into the mixture while under warp-speed in the blender.

The classic daiquiri is a deceptively simple delight made with two ounces of light rum, the juice of half a lemon (or a combination of lemon and lime juices) and a teaspoon of superfine sugar, shaken vigorously with ice to just approaching frothy, then poured through a strainer into a chilled cocktail glass and garnished with a lime wedge.

Here are the base recipes for the three most popular and enduring daiquiris. If you want to turn one into a frozen drink, slowly add one cup of crushed ice to the concoction and continue blending. In either case, always serve the drinks in a chilled glass with an appropriate fruit garnish:

• Peach Daiquiri: Combine 1 cup frozen peaches, ¼cup lime juice, 1 ½ ounces light rum, 1 ounce of peach schnapps, ½ounce of apricot brandy, a dash of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon superfine sugar in a blender until smooth.

• Banana Daiquiri: Combine 1 ounce light rum, ¾ounce creme de banana, a dash of simple syrup and 1 peeled banana in a blender until smooth.

Note: Simple syrup, also called bar syrup and necessary for many cocktails, is simply sugar and water. You can make a supply by dissolving sugar in boiling water, then taking the pan off the heat to cool. Proportions generally are one part water to two parts sugar.

• Strawberry Daiquiri: Combine 1 ¼ ounces light rum, a splash each of fresh or pureed strawberries, grenadine syrup and sour mix in a blender until smooth.