So you know how to make a rum and coke. You can dump some vodka in a jug of orange juice and call it a screwdriver. Maybe you even sort of know how to make an Irish car bomb. But let's face it: no one's impressed. It's time to learn about drinks. Whether you're the freshman on the hall who can't even figure out what goes into a gin and tonic, or a senior who still doesn't know exactly what went into that last, unfortunate shot at your friend's 21st, this is the column for you. This is your education. This is your drink of the week.
Bacardi Cocktail
1.5 oz sour mix 1 oz Bacardi light rum .5 oz grenadine 1 Maraschino cherry
Shake, strain, and pour
As it turns out, the Bacardi cocktail is the only patented drink in existence. When you're making this bad boy, you're legally obligated to only use Bacardi light rum. If you don't have sour mix, it's a mixer made of lemon that you can buy or make. You can always make it yourself, but it's in a lot of drinks, so Food & Drink officially recommends putting it on the list when stopping by the liquor store.
Actually, Bacardi was a wealthy Cuban family and the liquor is the family's namesake. After Castro toppled Batista's regime in Cuba, wealthy businesses were purged from the country, and the family fled to Puerto Rico. Despite the location change, though, every Bacardi bottle still proudly displays its trademark bat, a Cuban symbol of good fortune.
