Cocktail bar: Banana Daquiri

The banana daiquiri is a beloved tropical cocktail, though its exact origin remains a matter of debate. One popular story credits Harry K. Yee, the famed tiki bartender, with creating the drink in the 1950s or 1960s at the Hawaiian Village Hotel in Waikiki, Hawaii. He is believed to have been the first to add a banana to the traditional daiquiri recipe. Another account attributes the invention to Conrad Graves, who is said to have created the drink in the 1950s at the Mountaintop Bar in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. A further claim points to Mariano Lidine, who allegedly introduced the banana daiquiri in 1971 at the Mai Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While the true creator may never be confirmed, the original daiquiri predates all these versions. It was invented by Jennings Cox in Cuba around 1898. His classic recipe was simple: a blend of rum, lime juice, and sugar. Over the years, bartenders have added different fruits and flavours, with banana emerging as one of the most popular twists on the timeless cocktail.

INGREDIENTS:

50ml white rum.

25ml banana liqueur

10ml lime juice

1 ripe banana, peeled

2 handfuls of crushed ice

Banana slices or banana chips, lime wedges or cocktail cherries, to garnish (optional)

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HOW TO MAKE IT:

Place the rum, banana liqueur, lime juice, banana, and crushed ice into a blender capable of crushing ice cubes. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture into a tall hurricane glass. Garnish with banana slices or chips for a tropical touch. Alternatively, decorate with lime wedges or cocktail cherries — some enthusiasts prefer to skewer two cherries and a lime wedge on a cocktail stick for an elegant finish. Enjoy!