Hemingway's greatest contribution!..."El Hemingway" Rum, Grapefruit and Lime!

 

We can really give a big fat "Gracias" to Cuba for making popular one of Americas favorite liquors ...RUM!  Cuba is also the place where my favorite cocktail "El Hemingway" was invented.   Ernest Hemingway had made his home in Cuba between 1939 to 1960, at a place called "Finca Vigia" ( Look Out Farm) where he wrote seven books, including The Old Man and the Sea, A Moveable Feast and Islands in the Stream .  And the inventor of Bacardi...Facundo Bacardi was the first  mayor of Santiago ,Cuba and he helped pioneer Cuban style rum, known for its light, dry, smoothness. He devised a charcoal filter system and began aging rum in oak barrels which gave the spirit it's unique cuban qualities! In 1862, Facundo Bacardi opened his first tin-roofed, dirt-floored distillery on Matadero Street in Santiago,an eastern city in Cuba. Bacardi racked up a bunch of international awards at the turn of the cetury and soon its rum became known as "the one that has made Cuba famous." Prohibition sent thirsty Americans scurrying to Cuba to wet their whistles. And that eventually lead to the most disgusting cocktail of all times "Rum and Coke"! Years later in 39' hemingways love affair with Cuba resulted in the drink that bares his name! The Mojitos had a huge run in the 90's and are still extremely popular. But my most favorite way to drink my rum is the same way Ernest Hemingway himself drank it...with some fresh grapefruit juice and lime!  I make mine with fresh squeezed pink grapefruits and packed crushed ice...kind of like an adult icecone and unlike Hemingway I prefer to top it off with some club soda and of course lime. My version is  simple ,refreshing, grown up and a far cry from those sweet rum drinks made popular by Chinese resturants and silly co-ed's the world over. Most important of all  you won't feel like a loser ordering it(seriously , I haven't ordered a Mojito since 98')!  And let's not forget the "Censational"savings...The cost for a bottle some grapefruit limes and clubsoda is $20 bucks..thats the price of two drinks at your local bar!  So this week after a long hot day go up to your roof top deck(cause we all have one,not!) throw on some Gypsy Kings spin up a few "Hemingways"and expirience your own little bit of Heavan-na(lol)! CHEERS! El Hemingway ( serves2,normally.. this is like one drink for me) 4 oz dark Bacardi 4oz. pink grapefruit juice 8oz. club soda Juice from 1 lime Crushed ice packed well Pack ice into glass and pour equal parts rum and fresh squeezed pink grapefruit, club soda and then add lime juice and an island breeze and enjoy!