Drink This: The [Not So] Old Cuban

I gave Bryan this book for Christmas, even though I have fully benefitted from it as much as he has:

Vintage Cocktails by Laziz Hamani

When we saw the beautifully handwritten and photographed recipe for the Old Cuban cocktail, we were hooked.  Rum, champagne and lime all sounded delightful!  We didn’t have any mint, and we didn’t like mint, so we left it out.

[In general I loathe and despise mint unless it comes in the form of a) Blue Bell mint chocolate chip ice cream, b) York peppermint patties, or c) Thin Mints. I can’t even brush my teeth with mint toothpaste. Instead I use children’s watermelon flavor.]

So without the mint, I guess this really can’t be called an Old Cuban after all, but I haven’t found a better name for it… The Young Cuban?  The Hipster Cuban?  The Cuban With Hallitosis?  Thoughts/suggestions?

Ingredients (per serving):

2 oz. Rum
1/2 oz. Lime Juice (approx. 1/2 lime – 1 small lime depending on size)
up to 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup (Bryan prefers a “dash” of simple, while I prefer mine a little sweeter)
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Splash champagne

Shake with ice, strain into a glass. Top with a splash of champagne.

Citrusy, sweet, carbonated, and peachy-pink – what more could you ask for? Plus, you’ll have some leftover champagne (we usually get mini champagne bottles, but even then, you won’t use the whole thing), so this recipe is basically a two-for-one.

Recipe #2: Drink Champagne.