The Mary Pickford cocktail is remembered for its sweet pineapple-pomegranate taste with a noticeable bitterness of maraschino cherries and a light almond aftertaste. Despite the rather high strength (15-17% vol.) and the large volume of one serving (140 ml), it is considered feminine. In Russia, it can be ordered not in all bars.
Historical information
The recipe was invented in the 20s of the XX century in the Havana Hotel Nacional de Cuba. Authorship is claimed by two bartenders who worked at that institution at that time, Eddie Wolke and Fred Kaufman. According to some sources, Constante Ribalagua, the owner of the famous Havana bar El Floridita, came up with the recipe, but this version is unlikely.
The cocktail is named after Mary Pickford (1892-1979), a popular American silent film actress, Oscar winner (1930) and co-founder of United Artists. In total, Pickford starred in about 250 films and is ranked in the top XNUMX film actors of all time.
According to legend, Mary Pickford stayed at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba with her husband Douglas Fairbanks and their mutual friend Charlie Chaplin while filming in Cuba. The bartender was so inspired by the actress that he created a cocktail in honor of her.
Now the Mary Pickford cocktail is included in the list of official cocktails of the International Bartenders Association (IBA) and is in the Unforgettable category.
Classic Mary Pickford Cocktail Recipe
Composition and proportions:
- white rum – 60 ml;
- Maraschino liqueur – 10 ml;
- pineapple juice – 60 ml;
- grenadine (pomegranate syrup) – 10 ml;
- ice cubes.
Maraschino (Maraschino) is a colorless liqueur made from maraschino cherries (a variety with a specific tart-bitter taste), produced in Italy and Croatia.
Technology of preparation
1. Fill shaker with ice, add rum, maraschino, pineapple juice and grenadine.
2. Shake, then pour through a strainer (bar strainer) into a serving glass (large cocktail glass).
3. Garnish with a cherry if desired. Serve without a straw.
