The canchánchara… My favourite cocktail, born in the colonial town of Trinidad in Cuba. Spend a day in the old town and let it transport you to another era. An era of cobbled streets, horse drawn carriages and grand 19th century Spanish mansions. Add some slightly ‘rum intoxicated’ mulattos swinging their hips to the rhythmic conga beats in the sweltering late afternoon heat and you’ve got yourself the perfect Cuban cliché, which quite truthfully, isn’t too far off from reality.
I’m not planning to go back to Cuba any time soon, but I’m craving a taste of that Cuban passion and fierceness. So today, I’m putting some salsa music on full blast and making my “go-to cocktail”. It’s a fast and easy recipe. Care to join me?
WHAT YOU’LL NEED (makes 1 glass)
- 5 cl Rum
- 1.5 cl lime (approx. juice of 1 lime)
- 1.5 cl honey (approx. 1 Tablespoon)
- a handful of crushed ice
- soda water to top off
The original recipe calls for raw rum (aguardiente), but white rum will do. If you prefer your cocktail more sweet or sour, adjust the lime-honey ratio.
PREPARATION
- Mix the lime and the honey in a glass until the honey is completely dissolved.
- Add your shot of rum
- Fill the glass with (crushed) ice
- Top off with a dash of sparkling water
TIP: If you’re making cocktails for several people, make a batch of honey-lime mix ahead of time and keep it in a bottle or container. This way you can top up your guests drinks more easily: pour some of the mixture into your guests glass and just add rum, ice and water, saves you a lot of time.
There you have it, a delicious canchánchara for a passionate Friday evening! ¡Salud!
A special toast to my father’s birthday!
What is your favourite cocktail?
The post “Canchánchara: Cuban Cocktail Recipe” first appeared on Travel Cake.