Daiquirí facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daiquirí
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Village
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American troops landing at Daiquirí in 1898
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 Daiquirí
Location in Cuba
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| Country |  Cuba |
| Province | Santiago de Cuba |
| Municipality | Santiago de Cuba |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| Area code(s) | +53-22 |
Daiquirí (Spanish pronunciation: [dajkiˈɾi]) is a small village in Cuba. It is located about 14 miles east of Santiago de Cuba. This village became very important during the Spanish–American War.
Contents
Daiquirí's Role in History
The Spanish-American War Landing
Daiquirí played a key part in the Spanish–American War. This war was fought between America and Spain in 1898. Spanish General Arsenio Linares y Pombo ordered the area around Daiquirí to be made stronger. He expected American troops to land there.
On June 20, 1898, American and Cuban leaders met. U.S. Navy Admiral William T. Sampson, U.S. Army General William Rufus Shafter, and Cuban General Calixto García made a plan. The navy would fire cannons at Daiquirí. Cuban troops would then attack the Spanish soldiers. Meanwhile, American ships would move some Cuban troops to Cabañas. This would cut off Spanish communication and supplies.
The Landing Operation
Two days later, the plan worked almost perfectly. Admiral Sampson's ships fired on Daiquirí. This caused about 300 Spanish soldiers to scatter. Around 16,000 U.S. soldiers then waded ashore from the ocean. The plan to distract the Spanish at Cabañas worked very well.
Other American troops landed at a nearby place called Siboney. But Daiquirí remained an important spot for storing supplies. It was used this way until U.S. forces took control of Santiago.
The Famous Daiquiri Drink
How the Drink Got Its Name
The popular alcoholic drink, the daiquiri, is said to be named after this area. There is an iron mine near Daiquirí village. The word "Daiquirí" itself comes from the Taíno language.
The story goes that the cocktail was created around 1900. It was supposedly invented in a bar called Venus in Santiago. This bar was about 23 miles east of the mine. A group of American mining engineers are credited with its creation.
The Engineers Behind the Drink
Some of the engineers present included Jennings Cox, who was the General Manager of the Spanish American Iron Co. Other engineers were J. Francis Linthicum, C. Manning Combs, George W. Pfeiffer, De Berneire Whitaker, C. Merritt Holmes, and Proctor O. Persing.
Some stories say that Jennings Cox invented the drink when he ran out of gin while entertaining guests. However, the drink likely developed naturally. This is because limes, sugar, and rum were very common in the area.
See also
In Spanish: Playa Daiquirí para niños
