Painkiller

Yesterday, while making a batch of of chicken kebabs for dinner, I accidentally cut my finger open with a knife. Luckily, we live only a few blocks from the hospital, and they patched me up quickly. With my injury, I thought this would be the perfect time have a Painkiller cocktail. It's a tropical delight, combining rum with fruit juices for a sweet, satisfying drink. Shaking it up gives it a nice froth, which is then topped with aromatic nutmeg. The Painkiller is not a challenging drink, but it's undeniably delicious, and is perfect porch sipping on a hot day. Even Ariel, who's not much of a rum drinker, gave this one the seal of approval.

Unlike the other cocktails I've posted recently, the Painkiller is a drink with a well-known origin. It was first created at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands. It has since become associated with Pusser's rum. According to their website, the founder of Pusser's was a fan of the drink, and developed his own recipe. The name "Painkiller" later became a registered trademark of the company. Pusser's has gotten some bad press for litigation surrounding the trademark, but it doesn't bother me too much. Pusser's is a great rum with a great story. After the Royal Navy discontinued its rum ration in 1970, Pusser's obtained permission to recreate the navy's rum as a commercial product. It's also the only Demerara (Guyanese) rum I've been able to find in South Dakota. 

Although it's delicious, the Painkiller isn't necessarily the best showcase for the rich flavor of this particular rum. The fruit flavors definitely dominate here, with the Pusser's slipping into the background. Ratios could certainly be played with to highlight the rum more. One interesting ingredient appears here that I haven't used before: Coco López cream of coconut. It is basically a sweetened coconut milk. Right out of the can, it's somewhat translucent, but thickens and becomes an opaque white in the refrigerator. I found it at Walmart. If unavailable, it's possible to make a facsimile with coconut milk and simple syrup. The orange juice is fresh squeezed, but I used canned pineapple juice. The official Pusser's recipe uses 4 oz. of pineapple juice, but I reduce it to 3 oz. to conveniently make 2 cocktails from a 6 oz. can. 

Mojito

With classes starting soon, summer in Vermillion is drawing to a symbolic close. It's an appropriate time to celebrate one of the most emblematic drinks of the season, the mojito. Like its cousin, the daiquiri, the mojito originates in Cuba. While everything that's in the daiquiri as also in the mojito, they are quite different in character. Where the daiquiri is an exercise in simplicity and balance, the mojito goes all in on the mint, with a hint of effervescence from the soda. This makes it a terrifically refreshing cocktail for the hot weather. It's a classic for good reason. I enjoyed mine while grilling brats for dinner.

In my opinion, a good mojito should be a showcase for the mint. Otherwise, you may as well have a Tom Collins. As such, I recommend going for a clean, Spanish-style rum. I used the same Flor de Caña Extra Seco from the daiquiri recipe. I've also liked it with Don Q Cristal, which is an even more unobtrusive Puerto Rican rum, similar to Bacardi, but a a little less harsh. Want to go with Jamaican? I'm sure that would be delicious, but it would be a different drink. There seems to be some debate on whether a mojito should be shaken (similar to a Collins) or built in the glass and swizzled. I shake and strain (based on the "Modern Mojito" from Cocktail Chemistry), as I don't care to have a lot of extra vegetation in the glass, which tends to get stuck in the straw. You can even double strain if you want it extra clean. However, I do add some lime rind to the shaker when muddling to get a little extra lime juice and oils in there. 

Daiquiri

It's been an enjoyable summer of learning to make classic cocktails, and the daiquiri has been my drink of the summer. Of everything I've made, it's the one I keep going back to. As cocktails go, it couldn't be simpler: rum, lime, and sugar. It's all about balancing these three ingredients into a tart, boozy, and refreshing drink. The recipe dates back to the Spanish-American War, but has roots much further back in history. It was a favorite of such figures as Ernest Hemingway and John F. Kennedy. Although the drink is traditionally served straight up in a cocktail glass, I prefer sipping it on the rocks, which is perfect for enjoying outdoors.

Rum is the central ingredient in the daiquiri. Of all base spirits, rum has the greatest variance in styles. I've recently enjoyed trying and learning about some of these styles, which vary according to distillation method (column or pot still, or a blend), aging, filtration, coloring, and place of origin. Being a Cuban drink, the classic rum for a daiquiri is a Spanish-style white rum. Since we can't get Cuban rum in the United States, a Puerto Rican or Central American rum is the closest. I used Flor de Caña Extra Seco from Nicaragua. 

That being said, any rum can make a delicious, if unorthodox, daiquiri. The idea of mixing rum with lime and sugar dates back to at least 1740, when "grog," a mixture of rum and water, was introduced in the Royal Navy. Admiral Vernon allowed sailors to purchase lime and sugar to mix into their grog ration. In the spirit of grog, a British-style rum from Jamaica or Guyana also makes for a great daiquiri. I like using a darker simple syrup made with demerara sugar to match the more robust flavors. Pusser's Royal Navy Rum (made in Guyana) is a nice choice, as it is supposedly made according to the Admiralty's recipe. 

Pollo a la Plancha

Last month, I wrote about trying a Cuban dish called pollo a la plancha during our San Diego trip. It's a simple dish consisting of chicken cutlets grilled on a griddle and topped with onions. I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. A few weeks ago, I threw together my own version for a quick Passover-friendly lunch. Ariel later told me how much she liked it, which is usually a one-way ticket to a blog post. As I'm not too experienced with Cuban cuisine, I won't claim this is particularly authentic, but I can guarantee it is delicious.

My original version used a boneless, skinless chicken breast butterflied and separated into two cutlets. This time, I had some thighs on hand instead. I think either cut works equally well, so go with whatever you have. This recipe ends up using only half an orange and about 3/4 of a lime, so I encourage you to use the leftovers to make yourself a drink. I served with rice, but a salad works, too.