When I got my allotment 5 years ago I jokingly said I wanted to “pimp my shed” and have a min cocktail bar in it – nothing fancy just a shelf with a shaker and a few glasses. Probably not your average thought when taking on an allotment; long gone are the yesteryear images of flat caps and pigeons, roll on 21st century living and supplementing our diets and desires to garden.
A wonderful summer of sun and warmth and just enough energy to whizz a little refresher for an evening cool down. Daiquiris reminds me of Havana, back in 1999 and in the old town paying a visit to Hemmingway’s Bar and sampling my first and most memorable Daiquiri. Happy days of tropical heat, the taste of rum and the scent of cigars, the sound of a city relaxing into the evening and two British girls sitting at the bar trying desperately not to knock the oh so expensive cocktails back too quickly, trying to linger over them but eventually giving into to a second!
The last pickings from the Strawberry patch and a quick internet search I found a BBC food recipe, Putney Farm’s classic Lime Daiquiri and the one I eventually used from TheKitchn – I halved the ingredients and there was still more than enough for two generous glasses.
Sizzling summer cooldown with a strawberry daiquiri recipe
So crack open that bottle of Havana Club , squeeze a lime, whiz up some strawberries and bash some ice – cheers to simple summer evenings!
And for those that don’t drink alcohol I’ve been making a version with strawberries, ice, a squeeze of lime and sparkling water – refreshing on a hot summer’s afternoon.
And now the strawberries are over the currants are ripening, I wonder if anyone has a drink or cocktail suggestion for black and red currants, I see a pattern / theme evolving here?!
___________
Related articles
- Summer Strawberry Daiquiri (thestormbrewing.wordpress.com)
- Strawberry Margarita & Strawberry Margarita Recipe | Pottery Barn (potterybarn.com)
- Strawberry Daiquiris (awittytitleprovesnothing.wordpress.com)
- National Daquiri Day (foodimentary.com)
A daiquiri as you sit in your garden! Sounds like a pretty darn perfect afternoon.🙂
afternoon or evening, who’s counting🙂
mmm, delicious! lovely idea to have a shaker in the shed, perfect for summer evenings enjoying the garden🙂
Hang on a minute, I’m on my way…🙂 Mandy xo
Quick Mandy!!!
nope the strawberries are over, … but the raspberries are just starting …….🙂
Havana and Havana Club rum are off limits to Americans.🙂 But your strawberry daiquiri is a refreshing way to end a day of gardening.
Such a shame they are off limits Karen, Cuba is a wonderful and fascinating place to visit!
Now this is just what I needed today, Great post, Claire, in every way!
you’d be welcome Shimon, we are moving onto blackberry and then raspberry season here, I do enjoy the move through summer, looking at summer through the garden and food we eat.
What style!
After all the hard work that goes into an allotment, I imagine a daiquiri is more than deserved and appreciated. Love the look of those dark luscious strawberries and the resulting daiquiri.
Beautiful….and thanks for the mention!
Just what I need….is there space for me and my folding chair?!
I’ll find a chair for you
Hope all is ok up the mountain
A good way to unwind after a day outdoors!😉 Strawberries are all over here too, but how about a blueberry version…? I might try that at the weekend!😀
Pimp your shed!!! That is great, I wish I thought of that all those years ago… These glasses are great and perfect for your cold and fruity daiquiri’. Take care, BAM
I even love the look of your strawberry daiquiris, Claire. They sound delicious. I have a fascination with Cuba, and would love to have a memory similar to the one you shared! As you well know, we Americans can’t directly “get” to Cuba. It’s one of those things I hope changes in my lifetime…but we won’t talk politics here.🙂 I’m just saying I’m a little jealous. I’ll satisfy myself with one of these delicious cocktails, however!🙂
I find the idea of a cocktail with the hard graft very appealing. Perhaps a Tequila Trowel or a Sangria Spade?🙂,
Mmmmm…haven’t had a frozen daiquiri in years…for this, I would break my No Cocktails rule (They get me into all kinds of trouble!)
Making a tiny bit of refrigerator jam with part of the black currant harvest today, but no cocktail ideas.
Yet.😀
They get you into trouble Marie….. I can’t possibly understand how!! These aren’t very strong, just enough of a kick if ya know what I mean🙂
Oh, I love the pictures and can taste the daiquiri but the most moving part for me is the memory. Certain things allow me to also reminisce about younger days gone by….:)
memories hold us and connect us together don’t they. I’d love to go back one day
Now that looks like the perfect way to finish a day at the allotment! What do the more ‘traditional’ allotment holders think of your shed/cocktail bar?
I haven’t actually done the bar, it’s still in the conception stage……. Hope you have a super week Sarah!
I’ll belly up to the bar and have one of those–please!
I just love that expression “belly up” – it’s my new favourite🙂
Oh boy, longing for some of that sunshine and one of your lovely daiquiris over here Claire. Freezing in Melbourne at the moment – even our dirt-loving cat is refusing to leave the house. Havana – lucky you! That’s a place on my bucket list.
We’ve had three weeks of fantastic sunny and hot weather, we now have a week of cool and wet, I’m hoping the sun returns for both of us!
This looks perfect for the weekend! And I do think an allotment bar sounds lovely!
Those look divine, Claire!🙂
Does this count as the suggested daily allowance of “fruit and vegetables”?
Definitely!! In fact my partner tries to count the grapes in wine…….
Those look so delicious and refreshing, what a wonderful concoction!
They were good! Such a short sweet season, to be thoroughly savoured
CLS
xx
CLS xxx
What an excellent idea! I should also set up a bar in the shed, but I will wait for your black currant recipes as I have a bumper crop of these this year. Come to think of it, I should not be too hasty – if the raccoons ever figure out there is booze in the shed, they will certainly break in!
Ha I can picture drunk racoons……. ! I haven’t actually set up a bar in the shed as I’ve had it broken into and some tools stolen, but I would like to, I just need to work out a way I could do it and not get the thieves drunk!
Claire, it must have been wonderful to “be there.” Here’s a link you might enjoy: http://flavorwire.com/403181/9-non-literary-reasons-to-love-ernest-hemingway
Hi Kim, thanks for the link. And yes Cuba certainly has a magical appeal to it
I love the look of those drinks! And the glasses! How perfect are they!! 🙂
looks very elegant yet also fun!
Ooh now that sounds nice! I picked over 10k of strawberries this year from our patch and have bag loads frozen. I’ll be bookmarking that recipe🙂
Looks refreshing. Sounds great.
Love. Allotments, strawberries, pimped-out sheds, daiquiris, and most of all, your posts.