Cooking Lesson #98 El Presidente Cocktail

El Presidente Cocktail

How you doin’ , Mr. President? El Presidente is a classic rum cocktail that originated in Havana, Cuba in the 1920s and was named for President Gerado Machado. The cocktail was traditionally made with Bacardi, the biggest name in Cuban rum at the time. Combining light rum with dry vermouth, orange curaçao, and grenadine, El Presidente is slightly sweet and dry, yet balanced. For the best results, try making your own grenadine, which is far superior to the fake-colored bottled stuff, and will really let this drink shine.


 
Ingredients
1.5 ounces light rum (I prefer Bacardi rum for this cocktail)
3/4 ounce dry vermouth
1/2 ounce orange curaçao
Dash grenadine
 
Garnish: orange twist
Cocktail Glass (martini glass)
 
Directions

1. Add ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled Martini glass.
3. Garnish with an orange twist.

ChefSecret:  Here’s how to make homemade Grenadine Syrup—it’s easy. This simple sweet syrup is made with only 2 ingredients—pomegranate juice and granulated sugar. It is the perfect sweet syrup for most of the well-loved frou-frous drinks famous at beach front bars and tiki joints. Homemade grenadine syrup is much better than the embalming fluid used for maraschino cherries.
 
You will need 2 cups 100% pomegranate juice (such as Pom Wonderful) and 2 cups granulated sugar. Add the pomegranate juice to a nonreactive saucepan. Bring the juice to a boil over high heat. Add the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into a lidded bottle or other sealable container and store in the refrigerator. This recipe makes 3 cups. The syrup will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.
 
A Little History:  Bacardi Limited is the largest American privately held, family-owned spirits company in the world. Originally known for its eponymous Bacardi white rum, it now has a portfolio of more than 200 brands and labels. Founded in 1862, and family-owned for seven generations, Bacardi employs 6,000 people, manufactures at 29 facilities in 16 markets on four continents, with sales in more than 150 countries.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  Have we tried throwing a politician into a volcano to appease the virus? Worth a shot!
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