PHOTO BY OLAF STARORYPINSKI
THE 900 BLOCK OF Hamilton Street in Allentown is garnering a lot of attention, and one reason is the Cuban all-day cafe, Rosa Blanca, from Philadelphia chef and restaurateur Jose Garces. For summer, it’s hard to go wrong with a pitcher of its rum-forward Junglebird, which general manager Frank DeFelice created as a variation on a classic tiki drink.
“Our goal was to create a signature tiki drink that was complex but appealing. And pink! And we wanted to use flavors true and native to Cuba, such as guava, banana, and pineapple,” says DeFelice.
The drink requires some assembly, but it’s not hard. It takes a little planning, which is why we like to make a batch of this cocktail for summer sipping. (Or you can, of course, go straight to their cafe and sip it yourself, without the labor). You’ll infuse two bitter liqueurs with guava for its “bright tropical notes,” he says, and steep bananas in sugar to add sweetness. Acid-adjusted pineapple balances the drink so it’s not too sweet. If you prefer a local rum to the Scarlet Ibis, DeFelice suggests County Seat Spirits’ Amburana rum. A straight-up white rum isn’t quite right. “It needs spicy barrel notes so it shines through the other strong flavor profiles in the drink,” he says.
Love local drinks? Try these!
- White Negroni from Bar Torino
- The Meadow Cocktail from Eight Oaks Distillery
- Dragon’s Blush: A Zero-Proof Cocktail from Tonic by Green Vida
Junglebird
Ingredients
- For the bitter guava liquor
- 100 grams fresh guava or guava purée
- 125 grams Cocchi Rosa Americano
- 125 grams Campari
- For the acid-adjusted pineapple
- 250 grams fresh pineapple juice
- 250 grams white cane sugar
- 1.5 grams citric acid
- For the banana oleo saccharum
- 4 ripe bananas peeled
- 200 grams demerara or sugar in the raw or more, enough to cover
- To assemble
- 1¾ ounces The Scarlet Ibis, or your favorite funky dark rum
- ¾ ounce guava bitter liquor
- 1 ounce acid-adjusted pineapple
- ½ ounce banana oleo
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
Instructions
For the bitter guava liquor
- Combine all ingredients. Use an immersion circulator or simply let it sit 24–48 hours in the fridge, covered. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve until smooth.
For the acid-adjusted pineapple
- Put all ingredients into a blender and mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Strain and set aside.
For the bitter guava liquor
- Combine all ingredients. Use an immersion circulator or simply let it sit 24–48 hours in the fridge, covered. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve until smooth
For the banana oleo saccharum
- Put bananas and peel in an airtight container. Sprinkle with sugar to completely cover bananas. Refrigerate 24–48 hours. Mash mixture at least once with a wooden spoon or muddler. Strain liquid and set aside.
To assemble
- Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add 1–2 ice cubes and shake until completely dissolved. Pour into your favorite tiki mug (the weirder the better) and add crushed ice to the top. Garnish with a pineapple frond or wedge, anything beautiful, and lots of mint.
