The Fresh Strawberry Daiquiri

Strawberries are in season down here in Florida, and farmers markets and grocery stores are filled with baskets of ripe, red, and plump strawberries. Seeing this bounty of fruit inspired me to create a simple strawberry-based cocktail – my version of a strawberry daiquiri!  

I absolutely love berries of all kinds – blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, elderberries, boysenberries, cranberries, and caperberries. But my favorite berry, bar none, is the humble strawberry. They are bright, red, juicy, and sweet; low in calories; and chocked full of antioxidants. They are great on their own, but I also love them sliced with yogurt and granola, served with shortcake and whipped cream, or macerated and served with vanilla bean panna cotta. Oh, and I love them in cocktails as well!

A few weeks ago, I went to Detwiler’s Market, which is a farm market down here in Sarasota. They specialize in local produce, and there is no better place to go to get the freshest local fruits and vegetables that Florida farms have to offer. As I walked into the market, I was met by a wall of huge red strawberries, with pallets, crates, and cartons stacked six feet high and filled with the most beautiful strawberries I have ever seen. I brought some home with me and Laurie and I had to resist the urge to eat them all straight from the carton! We ate our fair share, but I managed to save a few to use as the base for a new cocktail creation.

I wanted to keep it simple to showcase the sweet strawberries and ensure they remained the star of the show. I settled on a daiquiri, which is a rum-based cocktail that usually includes citrus juice and a sweetener like simple syrup. Instead of making a strawberry puree, I decided to muddle a few slices of strawberries in a shaker cup until they were broken down and their juice was released. Then I added the rum, along with fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, and a splash of orange liqueur for added depth of flavor. I prefer white rum for this cocktail – it’s light in body and flavor which ensures that the fresh strawberries get top billing! I gave it all a quick shake with ice and poured it into a chilled coupe glass – about as easy as it gets. And also about as delicious as it gets too! Give this one a try and let me know what you think!

Strawberries from Detwiler’s Farm Market in Sarasota

The Fresh Strawberry Daiquiri (makes 1 cocktail)

This amazingly simple but absolutely delicious cocktail showcases the sweetness of fresh ripe strawberries and the tartness of fresh squeezed lime juice. The rum brings some richness and spice into the mix, while the orange liqueur and simple sugar brightens everything up just a bit!

Ingredients

1 large strawberry, sliced

2 oz. white rum (we like Plantation 3-Star White Rum)

½ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

½ oz. simple syrup

½ oz. orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier)

Directions

Place the strawberry slices into the shaker cup and muddle with the back of a wooden spoon until strawberries are broken down and their juices released. Add the remaining ingredients to the muddled strawberries along with ice and shake for 20-30 seconds until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe (use a fine mesh strainer to ensure no strawberry seeds or pulp escape into the glass). Garnish with a strawberry slice.