Sip Spotlight: Blueberry Lemon Daiquiri

The granddaddy of rum cocktails, daiquiris get a bad rap. That's probably because the word conjures up images of neon-colored slushies that give you a sugar rush followed by a splitting headache. (We won't name names, but the ingredient list for a leading daiquiri mix is water, high fructose corn syrup, wine, natural flavors, maltodextrin, glycerin, citric acid, sodium polyphosphates, fruit juice concentrate, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), gum arabic, medium chain triglycerides, sucralose, red 40, blue 1. Eew.)

Those ubiquitous frozen concoctions are nothing like the classic daiquiri, which, in its purest form, is a balanced combination of three elements: rum, cane sugar, and citrus juice.

Like me, the daiquiri hails from the Caribbean. The word is of Taíno origin, and it is the name of a beach on the island of Cuba. The daiquiri supposedly was invented by an American mining engineer, Jennings Cox, who was in Cuba at the time of the Spanish-American War. (We are grateful for his service.)

We've taken the basic recipe for a daiquiri and added Blueberry Lemon Basil Mixicles to the mix. The result is a balanced concoction that invigorates and delights. ¡Salud!

Blueberry Lemon Basil Mixicles can be found online in our Essential Collection and at Kroger stores in our Curated Collection.

BLUEBERRY LEMON DAIQUIRI

Ingredients:

• 2 Blueberry Lemon Basil Mixicles cubes
• 1 1/2 ounces white rum
• Squeeze of lemon

How to Mix:

• Add the cubes, rum, and lemon juice to a shaker. Shake for 30 to 45 seconds, or until you can’t hear much rattling in the tin. Pour into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a twist of lemon and fresh blueberries.

Jen Morales is the co-founder of Cincinnati-based Mixicles, an all-natural, frozen, non-alcoholic botanical mixer that can be popped into any liquor, wine, champagne, etc for an instant cocktail. They can even used as a natural foundation for distinctive zero-proof drinks and smoothies. Learn more at www.mixicles.com.