Guavas are, to my nose, one of the most aromatic tropical scents anyone could ask for. Here in East Texas we are often fortunate enough to have fresh guavas imported to our grocery stores directly from Central America. Some have pink pulp, some have yellow pulp, and some even have white pulp. Their aroma is unmistakable and tempts me to make a purchase every time I smell it. To me it just cries out to be made into a refreshing tropical cocktail. Luckily there are several brands of Guava Nectar (seen above) available in the stores, so we don’t face the chore of squeezing guavas. The recipe here is for 2 drinks, but be aware this is a “punch,” which means it can be made ahead for a crowd, just multiply the ingredients as needed, chill for a few hours in the fridge, and add the sparkling water (optional) and garnishes when serving.
Ingredients (Makes 2 drinks):
6. fl. oz. guava nectar.
3 fl. oz. white rum.
1 fl. oz. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime).
1 fl. oz. simple syrup (see below).
seltzer aka sparkling water (optional).
lime slices, or quartered fresh guavas if available.
Directions:
In a pitcher, combine the guava nectar, rum, lime juice and simple syrup. Stir to mix. Pour the mixture into 2 ice filled highball glasses and top each with a splash of sparkling water. Garnish each drink with a lime slice or guava quarter and serve.
Simple Syrup:
Many cocktails call for Simple Syrup as an ingredient. Most people don’t know exactly what that is, but it’s easy to make. Just bring a cup of water to a boil, add a cup of sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved. Let it cool. Congratulations, you have Simple Syrup. You can store it in the fridge in a sealed jar. Other uses: You can use it to keep cakes from drying out (just a sprinkle so it doesn’t get soggy.) You can add almost any flavoring to it, just strain out the solids to leave a flavored syrup.