What We’re Sipping
The Queen Bee substitutes native honey for sugar — it’s refreshing and citrusy
with honeyed floral notes, we can’t get enough!
The classic daiquiri – which consists of just rum, lime, and sweetener – originated in Cuba, which is probably why it conjures images of palm trees and sand. But New England’s coldest months are also prime time for citrus, when farm fresh produce can be hard to get. Limes and lemons travel well and are relatively long lasting, which means they taste like they should when they land in our northern markets.
Daiquiris are best made from a white rum with grassy sugarcane notes. Their light-bodied texture relies on the brightness of the lime juice and the quality of the rum, and my favorite for this recipe is Clément Agricole Rhum, which is complex and clean.
In this updated recipe, I’ve used local honey to make a syrup, which adds an earthy, caramel complexity to the drink (and lends it the “queen bee” moniker). Feel free to experiment with different honeys – such as orange, wildflower, or clover – which will yield remarkably different flavor profiles.
Simple, efficient, and accessible, this classic daiquiri – no blender required – is a classic sour and a perfect cocktail. No wonder why it was a favorite drink of no-nonsense macho men like Ernest Hemingway and John F. Kennedy – not to mention countless 18th-century British sailors across the globe. Mix one up tonight and you may find it ending up on your short list, too.