Hemingway’s Drinks

Appears in
A Taste of Cuba
A Taste of Cuba

By Cynthia Carris Alonso

Published 2018

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Ernest Hemingway famously made his presence known in many parts of Cuba, and in several bars. He is known for saying,“I prefer my daiquiris at El Floridita and my mojitos at La Bodeguita del Medio.” El Floridita has a bronze sculpture of the author in his regular spot at their bar, with his spectacles on the counter and the writer’s creation of the “Doble Daiquiri” (a daiquiri with two shots of rum) in his hand.

It was in Cuba that Hemingway first sampled pineapple, a taste he would treasure. Today, Hemingway’s former home in Cuba, the Finca Vigía (Lookout Farm), located in a small town outside Havana called San Fransisco de Paula, is the site of the Hemingway museum, which serves “Hemingway Guarapos.” This drink is made with his beloved pineapple, plus lemon and sugar cane juice. For a small additional cost, one can get the drink with added Cuban rum. The romanticism surrounding Hemingway’s life in Cuba still pervades many bars and restaurants throughout Cuba.