No matter which you choose to make, pay attention to the details to get the perfect blend and be able to say goodbye to those pouched mixes forever.

JFL’s Frosty Blends

When preparing for Memorial Day there is a lot to do, and boy things get hot.

Lemonade, tea, and ice cold beer is always a nice accompaniment to burgers and dogs, but there are better ways to satisfy those taste buds.

How about some really balanced, really good daiquiris?  No I’m not talking about those overly sweet, foul tasting, pouch abominations that they pollute every store with now. I’m talking about fresh fruit, good rums, and tart limes.

But first, we need a few blending tips. Always use good rum and fresh ingredients, because the blender will not be forgiving to corner cutting. Use crushed ice, and never whole ice cubes. If you fail to follow this rule you’ll get big ice chunks and not a smooth blend. You might just kill your blender to.

Also remember when it comes to lime or lemon juice in a cocktail you have to squeeze it fresh. There is no substitute no matter what the bottle promises. Anything less than fresh squeezed limes will make your cocktail worse than forgetting to put your flag out front on Monday. Got it? Here we go.

Strawberry Daiquiri

Ingredients

1 ½ oz white Virgin Islands rum (Cruzan)

½ cup quartered, hulled strawberries

½ oz fresh lime juice

½ oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water)

½ cup(4 oz) of crushed ice

Garnish: Strawberry

Combine the ingredients in a blender and run on high for 15 seconds. Garnish and serve in a wine goblet.

   

JFL’s Bama Blackberry Daiquiri

Ingredients

1 ½ oz Jamaican gold rum

½ cup ripe blackberries

½ oz fresh lime juice

½ oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water)

½ cup(4 oz) of crushed ice

Garnish: Blackberry

Combine the ingredients in a blender and run on high for 15 seconds. Garnish and serve in a wine goblet.

These drinks are what we call flash blended, not quite adult slushies but not quite shaken either. The ice and blending aerate them and liquefy our fresh fruit for a nice texture. I use a ninja blender, but you don’t have to spend that much, just make sure yours has a powerful motor and always run it on it’s highest speed. Wait what? You want an adult slushie to? Fine Here’s my Pina Colada, a drink we’ve served at countless cookouts and a specialty of the house.

Super J Pina Colada

Ingredients

2 oz Amber Jamaican Rum (Appleton V/X)

2 oz Banana rum (Cruzan)

6 oz Pineapple Juice

2 oz Coconut Cream (Coco Lopez)

3 cups Crushed Ice

Garnish: Pineapple Wedge, Cherry

Combine ingredients and blend on high for 15 to 20 seconds. Serve in wine goblets with a spear of pineapple and brandied cherry like Luxardo brand. Should serve 3 to 4 or one very thirsty reveler.

May your rememberance and revelry be safe and delicious, and may you always be saucier than your sauces.

Most people might say these are great without the booze for virgin cocktails. I happen to disagree entirely.

But if you don’t have a blender why not shake up the original?

Just shake up two parts of white rum with one part each fresh lime and simple syrup with ice and strain it into a chilled martini or cocktail glass. Boom: you have a tasty classic without the blender.

With cocktails this delicious and easy, you can kick the pouch to the curb. Happy Memorial Day to everyone celebrating those who gave the ultimate sacrifice!

Joey Schmidt, or ‘JFL,’ is a Certified Sommelier, Bar Menu Consultant, and local Culinary Graduate. He is also the Head Mixologist for 100.5 FM’s Richard Dixon Show and Rated R Cocktails. Listen for him most Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m., each Friday at 5:30 p.m. and visit his website at Ratedrcocktails.com