The first time I had a bona fide Cuba Libre was at a dark and dingy punk rock-ish bar in Berlin. We had spent the day wandering around exploring neighborhoods—the sun had gone down hours earlier—and needed a drink, pronto. My husband ordered a beer, but I thought seeing a Cuba Libre on the bar's chalkboard was funny since it wasn't the most tropical setting. So I ordered one. 

Sure, I had an idea that it would be a glorified rum and Coke—or so I thought. After my first sip, I was completely hooked. You could say that it was a balmy night and I was in an exciting, foreign city so almost anything would be fantastic. And the drink seems so simple and pedestrian: Coca Cola, rum, and lime served over ice. That's it. But put all the ingredients together, and it's refreshing, tart, and full of bubbles, not to mention the rum gives you a great head buzz. 

Since that night in Berlin, I've made this drink countless times and it never disappoints. It's ideal for hot summer afternoons. The caffeine kicker helps to keep you awake well into the night. 

You can use either white rum or dark rum—I go with dark since the flavor is deeper and more caramelized, which blends with the soda nicely. Goslings Rum is my favorite, and I like to muddle the spent lime with my straw to help release the fruit's bitter oils.  

Cuba Libre

1 1/2 oz rum
Juice of 1/2 lime
Cola 

Fill a tall and skinny highball glass with ice. Pour in the rum and squeeze in the lime juice. Drop in the spent lime, top with cola, and give it a stir. Garnish with a lime wheel. 

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