The Riff: The Daiquiri | Video

An Asheville, North Carolina, native, Margaret Boerner shows Sovereign Remedies’ riff of the daiquiri, giving recipes for the classic and Sovereign Remedies’ signature root daiquiri. The bar has had the root daiquiri on the menu since their opening in 2014. Paying homage to Appalachia’s history, Sovereign Remedies pulls from proprietary knowledge of the families in the area who used local herbs to create their own medicines. This riff on the daiquiri demonstrates the rich culture of herbal healing in the Appalachian Mountains.

The basic daiquiri is simple but oh-so-summery and fresh when using the best products. To put emphasis on fresh, organic ingredients, the original daiquiri recipe uses fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, and Bacardi, which Boerner says is an approachable rum that works well in the classic drink. The root daiquiri, however, gets its signature flavor from a Demerara simple syrup infused with sarsaparilla, burdock, and dandelion root—each of which has healing properties that they add to the drink. Using aged rum instead of Bacardi gives this riff a hint of caramel that brings out all the flavors, particularly the sarsaparilla.

The rule that Boerner lives by is to always put ice in your glass while you make the drink and remove before pouring, making sure the glass retains plenty of chill until you’re finished (although it won’t take you long!).