We’re obsessed with Ernest Hemingway.
We even made a morning coffee drink for Papa, as he was known.
Why coffee and Hemingway?
Writing Pick-Me-Up
It ties into Hemingway’s writing schedule. He would wake up in the early morning and stand at a high-top table and write for four or five hours.
We figured he would need a good cup of coffee.
So, we came up with this cocktail brew.
And as Papa wrote many times: And it was good.
Coffee Drinks
As you will notice, we have created a number of coffee drinks.
We don’t emphasize a lot of liquor in the morning. We recommend an ounce or less. It offers a slight wake-up for the palate. Plus, it is a tradition in many European locales. We’ve witnessed and enjoyed a shot of Grappa with espresso in the morning.
We can only assume Papa enjoyed it too.
Papa Hemingway: The Ultimate Jetsetter
Hemingway is a big part of our show. We’ve read every novel and short story from his prolific career: The Sun Also Rises; A Farewell To Arms; A Moveable Feast; The Old Man and The Sea.
And Papa Hemingway was the original jetsetter. In fact, we see him as the quintessential Jetsetter who we channel when it comes to travel, food, and mixology.
We also created a Jetsetter hack on Papa’s Hemingway Daiquiri. It turned us onto one of his go-to libations — Maraschino liqueur. No cocktail enthusiast can last without it.
Maraschino Liqueur
It’s a sweet and aromatic cherry-flavored liqueur made from Marasca cherries that grow around the Adriatic Sea in Italy and also Croatia.
Hemingway reportedly loved the liqueur and included it in many of his cocktails, such as the Hemingway Daiquiri and the Death in the Afternoon cocktail.
It’s not for everyone.
You either love it or hate it.
Those who don’t like it say it is medicinal. Or they’re expecting the sugary maraschino cherries drenched in sugar water – the kind you adorn a Mai tai or an Old Fashioned with.
Different Taste
Maraschino is also hard to describe. It is definitely not sweet. One of the best descriptions we’ve heard is this: a bitter-dry flavor with the taste of sour cherry and hints of almond.
We think that is perfect for a sophisticated cocktail.
We used it in one of our great martinis, the Zintini, that combines bourbon, Zinfandel wine, and Maraschino Liqueur.
Don’t Over Do It
We have also learned about the strength of Maraschino Liqueur. You only use a half-ounce at the most in a 4 ounce cocktail. Yes, it is that strong. It literally takes over the taste of whatever it is mixed with.
The same holds true for the Hemingway Coffee.
Check out how we made it.