What I’m really drinking is litres and litres of Toronto’s finest plus the occasional green tea, but if I were to sway from the noble and necessary path of sobriety that leads far, far away from holiday bacchanalia, I’d probably be sipping one of my all time favourite drinks: the daiquiri. It’s fresh, simple and versatile. Give this spiced winterized version a shot once you hop off the wagon.
1½ oz Havana Club 7
1 oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz raisin ginger syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake ingredients and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. (Some like the double-strain while others prefer the chilly crunch of ice shards produced by a good, hard shake.) No frills.
For the syrup: Combine 1 cup each of water, demerara sugar and golden raisins with 1 finger of fresh ginger, chopped. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Cool, strain and refrigerate.
