: ri ui iq Da en oz Fr e Th A Weird, Yet Wonderful, Louisiana Tradition BY ADAM BAILEY
surrounding the birth of the daiquiri cocktail. Many do, however, agree on its creator—Jennings Stockton Cox.
As the story goes, Cox was an American engineer who lived and worked in Cuba after the Spanish-American War. One night, after running out of gin while throwing a cocktail party, rum proved a convenient substitute in a punch he was serving. Along with the newly substituted rum, the drink was made with brown sugar and limes—since lemons were unheard of in Cuba—then presented to his guests in a tall glass with cracked ice. Obviously, it turned out to be a huge hit, so Cox christened it the “Daiquiri,” naming the cocktail after the nearby port town.
P
eople often wonder how Louisianans survive the heat and humidity during the summer months. Two words—frozen daiquiris! The best part about this refreshing, sugary cocktail is that you don’t have to leave your air-conditioned vehicles to get them. Just pull your car or truck up to the nearest drive-through liquor store and order a daiquiri off the menu. You can choose from 32-ounce, 44-ounce or even gallon-sized portions. Pay the attendant, who’ll pass you your drinks in a large Styrofoam cup through the driver’s side window, and drive away. That’s all there is to it!
History of the Daiquiri
It is difficult to know for certain the exact circumstances
A Short History of Drive-Through Daiquiris in Louisiana
When it comes to frozen daiquiris and Louisiana history, David Ervin opened The Daiquiri Factory in Lafayette in 1981. At the time, the state had no laws against drinking and driving. And although his business experienced some pushback from the community, it wasn’t enough to shut it down (or even dampen its popularity). After all, Louisianans love their alcohol. The drive-through daiquiri stand was an overnight success (at least for Erwin). By the mid-1980s, dozens of competitors were opening all over the state. Today, they are now a part of everyday life. Located mainly in strip malls and in the suburbs, most daiquiri stands make their living not from drunken out-of-towners, but from locals stopping by on their way to or from another part of their lives. Many patrons will pick up a gallon of daiquiris to loosen up a family or work party.
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