Skip to content
221 Shares

Since the confinement started, I’ve been doing a daily Apéro Hour on Instagram Live, archiving some of the episodes on my IGTV channel. Since I’ve never been able to get a tv show of my own, I decided just to do my own. (What could go wrong? And even so, what happens during confinement, stays in confinement. Right?) And when you’re the boss…and the producer, talent booker, presenter, cameraman, mixologist, and dishwasher…you get to call the shots. So I did, and invited some of my favorite bartenders, cocktail writers, and spirit-makers to come and talk about what they do.

Due to quirk in the platform, split-screen interviews can’t be archived (so I don’t get to call all the shots…) but it’s been really fun having people on that you might not normally get to meet, like my friend Mat who distills brandy and gin in Burgundy, Margot who owns Combat, a great cocktail bar in Paris, David from Belleville Brûlerie who showed us how to make the perfect café crème with a moka pot, and Alexandre Gabriel, who not only distills cognac and Citadelle gin, but also makes rum.

(Update: After publishing this post and recipe, the company announced that it be changing their name. The pictures show the previous bottle of rum that I used when writing this post. When they decide on a new name, I’ll edit the post to reflect that.)

I met Alexandre years ago on a press trip to cognac. Press trips can be great because you get behind-the-scenes access to see how things are made. The downside is that the organizers pack as much as possible into each day, so you’re leaving your hotel room at 7am and you don’t get back until close to midnight. On that particular trip, we had zero free time as we zoomed from one place to another, with little time to even have lunch, let alone breathe.

At one point, I begged to stay in my hotel room and write a story while it was fresh in my mind, about visiting the coopers who make cognac barrels, but instead I had to sit through a PowerPoint presentation in a curtained-off beige conference room, where we reviewed slides about statistics, sales, market shares, and percentages.

I was a little miffed because I didn’t think my readers were all that interested in that stuff, so I stewed in the dark room, waiting to get back out there and see something you would be interested in. (It does help if one keeps in mind that press trips aren’t considered vacations. You are there to work, although one nice perk involved tasting a lot of cognac.) After the slide show, and we were let out into the light, we took the bus to one last distillery for the day.

And folks, let me tell you, I was dragging. As we filed into yet another distillery lorded over by giant copper alembic stills, a well-dressed man came out with a booming, cheerful voice, welcoming us to Maison Ferrand.

It was a great visit and I was instantly charmed by him, and his wife, who finished the day by inviting us to a barbeque at their family home afterward. So I wanted to return the invitation and invite him to be a guest on my Instagram Live. Readers were asking for rum drinks, and since he is the maker of excellent rum, I asked him to shake up any rum-based cocktail of his choice. When he mentioned the word Daiquiri, I quickly agreed. Who doesn’t want a daiquiri?

Alexandre used his Stiggins Fancy Pineapple Rum, infused with Victoria pineapples. Popular in France, the slender, choice pineapples are smaller and more compact than standard pineapples.  They tend to have less water in them because they are raised in elevated areas that don’t use irrigation, so they are sweeter and more concentrated in flavor than other types of pineapples. In France, they’re so prized, you can even find them candied whole. I’m happy to have one in my home bar, in a bottle, which gets put to very good use in this tropically-tinged Daiquiri.

Daiquiri

To make simple syrup, heat equals parts by volume of sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat (I use 1/2 cup/125ml water and 1/2 cup/100g sugar), stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool, then refrigerate in a jar until ready to use. It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. The rich, spicy notes of Stiggins Fancy Pineapple Rum really shines in this daiquiri. If you can't find it, a good-quality dark rum can be used in its place.
Servings 1 cocktail
  • 2 ounces dark rum, preferably Stiggins Fancy Pineapple rum
  • 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • pineapple wedge or lime wheel, for garnish
  • Add the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
  • Fill shaker 2/3rds full with ice and shake until the mixture is well-chilled, 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled couple glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge or lime wheel.
221 Shares

35 comments

    • PZ

    I didn’t know I needed a daiquiri until I read this post.

    Totally making this as soon as the kids are done with school work.

      • Melissa Ellen O’Neill

      Me too!

        • Kathy

        I Always go to recipes after. Thank you for posting them.

          • David
          David Lebovitz

          Thanks for letting me know. Happy to post the cocktail recipes so people can have them :)

    • Hilary Purcell

    David ~ You are such a joy to watch and learn from! I love your down to earth personality ~ so relatable. Thank you for going live on Instagram! Keep up the awesome work! ❤️
    From Houston, TX w family in Paris!

    • Carlyn Forrest

    Hi David,
    Just to let you know I made the Cranzac cookies and they are great! I didn’t have dried cranberries and since we don’t just run out to the grocers right now, I made do. I had a very small amount of golden raisins and dried tart cherries which I chopped. The other 1/2 c was from dried hibiscus flowers again chopped up. They taste like tart dried cranberries so I figured it would be fine. Turned out great! Of course, now we are addicted to these little gems. Thank you
    Carlyn Forrest

    • Sheila

    Oooh – I’ve got a bottle of the Plantation Pineapple rum and lots of limes from my tree so I can’t wait to try this!
    That pineapple rum is very delicious in a variation on the Cliff Old Fashioned with coriander syrup à la Dave Arnold in Liquid Intelligence.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      That sounds like a great drink. And…I’m jealous of your lime tree! :)

        • LoveAndSqualor

        I only just discovered Citadelle gin! How funny that it’s creator was your guest just yesterday. I usually go with Hendricks or with a local gin, but tried Citadelle on a whim. It’s fantastic, and the price is excellent. Drank some tonight, actually, with ginger beer and lime. I’ll have to try the daiquiri next.

          • LoveAndSqualor

          This comment did not go where it was supposed to go (at the bottom, not as a reply). Maybe I should lay off the gin!

    • Maria

    David, great live today with Alexandre! Was happy to find out I can get the pineapple rum in Sweden and will buy it asap. Thanks so much for putting the recipes up, I always check here for them.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Happy you liked the live presentation. Enjoy the rum!

    • Lisa Hoffman

    I really enjoyed meeting Alexandre and Debbie. Another wonderful Instagram Live home run!
    I’ll be making this drink after I track down those delicious ingredients. I love to support independent farm businesses. Thanks David! See you and Romain tomorrow for Hot Chocolate

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Glad you enjoyed it. See you tomorrow…with Romain!

    • amanda

    what a great live interview and thank you for this fab recipe!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Thanks! Alexandre’s very interesting and there was a lot of talk about : )

    • Mary Konek

    What is the name of the historian who researches old drinks?
    I read your blog frequently and it’s helpful to have the recipe that you’re making on IG. And also the names of your guests- I’m now following Margot, David, and Romain on Instagram.
    Thanks for the IGTV series!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Glad you like the videos! His name is David Wondrich, the cocktail historian. He’s not on Instagram but is on Twitter.

        • Mary

        Thanks!

    • Anne

    You were asking if people are going to the recipes after your segments on instagram. Yes! I’ve been looking each day to see the ingredients, and really appreciate the posts.
    The live you did with the guest who used the bialetti was amazing and I’m going to try mine again with his suggestions. Thanks so much and good health to you and Romain.

    • Tavio

    Hi David, thank you for providing the recipes on your blog. I often reference them before and after your IGTV. I’m
    waiting patiently for my copy of Drinking French to arrive. Regarding the comments covering your guests faces on Instagram, I found on my iPhone, if I swipe down from the middle, not the top, just below your frame, it lowers the comments, so you can see your guest better. Cheers!

    • Paul

    David, may I ask if you have a video on making café crème or café au lait? Thank you!

    • Bricktop

    I have been drinking slightly more than my share of daiquiris of late. I can’t get to Paris right now, so I am reading “A Moveable Feast”, by some guy called Hemingway who had an apparent fondness for them.

    • Lynn in Olympia

    I have watched ALL of your live Instagrams! Love them! I also bought & read your Drinking French book. Want you to know I’m learning even more with each session! Thanks so much! I’ve tried 7 of your drinks so far…some of the ingredients from these sessions I either didn’t have or couldn’t buy locally.

    I love all the recipes you post! I check my supplies before each session, hoping I can make the drink that day!

    I appreciate all the time it takes to post everything! THANKS!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Thanks so much for your kind words…and glad you are enjoying the drinks, and the recipes, too!

    • Cathryn

    Thank you David and Alexandre for this delicious drink! I just made one in Bloomington, IN. My local liquor store had the Plantation Stiggins Pineapple Rum. I called in the order and walked downtown with my dog to pick it up. Grand merci for making this bizarre time a bit celebratory and special. I will be making this drink a (reasonably) lot. I hope to share it with loved ones at some point. . .

    • Denise LeBlanc

    You’re a natural on camera with your guests, loved today’s IG and the passion for fine cognac, rum, gin and all things in Drinking French ,

    • Shawn K ODonnell

    This was an excellent session – so informative since you let your guest answer extensively and in detail. He was a wealth of information. I left inspired to both buy the rum and make the drink. (I felt equally inspired by Brad Parsons session – also so much knowledge and specific details.)

    I already own one of your cookbooks but I’ve so enjoyed your morning sessions (morning where I am) that I ended up buying the ‘Drinking French’ book – with your autograph plate. I’m appreciative that you’ve taken the time to do these each day. It’s been nice to tune in when not on work calls. Thank you!

    • TiffanyK

    I’m not really a rum drinker but clearly I was doing to wrong! Willing to try with this pineapple infused rum!

    • Julie

    A Last Word never looks that colour! Seriously!
    I am loving the idea of pineapple and think I will try making some pineapple simple syrup with juice instead of water.

    • Lynnea Fleming

    You inspired me to buy Plantation pineapple rum and it is a revelation! Thank you for all the work you’ve been doing on Instagram live! I’ve enjoyed every episode :)

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Happy you like it too!

    • Jasmine

    I promptly went out to buy a bottle of Plantation Rum the same day I watched your live. I made the drink but it wasn’t quite as pineapple-y as I’d hoped. I tried a riff on the simple syrup and it made it soooo good. Try subbing a few tablespoons of the sugar for dark brown sugar and add chunks of pineapple when you make the simple syrup. It adds the strong pineapple flavor I was hoping for and the molasses brings out the best in the rum.

    Thanks for your tremendously fun Instagram lives!

    • Annie

    Oh wouldn’t I love a Lebovitz show! Instagram will have to do for now. I just picked up a bottle of Stiggins’ Fancy, a gaggle of limes, and the simple syrup is cooling as I type. Hopefully these will ease my Election Day nerves. Peace and pineapple rum.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      That rum is quite good in Daiquiris (and other rum drinks) – enjoy the cocktail!

A

Get David's newsletter sent right to your Inbox!

15987

Sign up for my newsletter and get my FREE guidebook to the best bakeries and pastry shops in Paris...