This Central Side Cocktail recipe has been gifted by Macaw Confections. A local Houston small business creating artisanal vegan chocolate and artisan fruit preserve. This post contains affiliate links, for more information on sponsored content and affiliate links please see our Site Policies for further information.
This play on a South Side cocktail uses aged rum, guava fruit preserves, mint, and a cardamom simple syrup for a Guatemala inspired cocktail that’s fruity and boozy.
Back in the fall, I started to get into the innovative cocktail trend of jam cocktails. It’s a great way to add depth of flavor and sweetness to a cocktail. It also allows for a chance to use flavors that may not be at their ripest or hard to come by. When Macaw Confections wanted to collaborate together to make a cocktail, I knew I wanted to play around with this trend again. Together we created this Central Side using their Guava Fruit Preserves. It’s a riff off a South Side but we’ve added and swapped ingredients around to give it the flavors of Guatemala.
When given the chance I try to feature home town brands that I love. Not only is Macaw Confections producing a product that is an explosion of flavor but they are doing it with a big heart. Macaw Confections is a local Houston vegan food company that specializes in artisanal chocolates and fruit preserves that are made in Guatemala. Guatemala is at the center of this do-good brand whose sole goal is to contribute to a better world while helping support the communities in Guatemala. It only felt fitting to theme a drink around this local Houston company’s roots. With notes of cardamom, mint, and woody aged rum, this is the Central Side.
CENTRAL SIDE AGED RUM COCKTAIL
HOW TO MAKE CARDAMOM SIMPLE SYRUP
To start this cocktail you’ll need cardamom syrup. Cardamom is a complex flavor with notes of herbal, mint, citrus, and spice all wrapped into this green-hued pod. Most of the world’s cardamom comes from Guatemala so I really wanted to work with its divine flavor. Feel free to use this to give classic cocktails a kick, to top ice cream, or to sweeten your next cup of black tea.
In a saucepan over medium heat bring 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of whole cardamom to a simmer. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved. Carefully pour into a heatproof glass and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled add a lid and let it infuse in the fridge for 48 hours. Once ready, strain your simple syrup and toss out the cardamom pods. Now you’re ready to go.
If you’re not a fan of cardamom you can substitute it for simple syrup.
Now it’s time to get to shaking this guava cocktail.
Into a shaker muddle 4 mint leaves and 0.25 ounces of cardamom simple syrup. This cocktail comes from the daiquiri family but with the addition of sweetness in the fruit preserves, we are keeping the syrup ratio lower.
Once you start to smell mint coming from the shaker, add in ice. Then add to the shaker 1 tablespoon of Macaw Confections Guava Fruit Preserves, 2 ounces aged rum, and 0.75 ounces of lime juice. The guava fruit preserves give this cocktail a much-needed brightness that when mixed with cardamom is pleasantly complex. I don’t have the most experience in handling guava, so since Macaw Confections was able to capture the juicy flavors of the fruit in these preserves, it really hit home the fun that can be had in preserve, jam, and jelly cocktails.
Shake for 20 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
Serve with a rolled lime rose and extra mint!
This play on a South Side cocktail uses aged rum, guava fruit preserves, mint, and a cardamom simple syrup for a Guatemala inspired cocktail that's fruity and boozy.
- 2 ounces Aged Rum
- 1 tablespoon Macaw Confection Guava Fruit Preserves
- 0.75 ounces Lime Juice
- 0.25 ounces Cardamom Simple Syrup
- 4 Mint Leaves
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Into a shaker muddle together the cardamom simple syrup and mint.
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Add ice to the shaker. Pour in the rum, lime juice, and Macaw Confection Guava Fruit Preserves. Shake for 20 seconds.
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Strain your cocktail from the shaker into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with mint and lime.
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In a saucepan over medium heat combine together 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, and 1/4 cup whole cardamom. Bring to a simmer, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and put in a heatproof jar. Let cool to room temperature. Add a lid and let it infuse in the fridge for 48 hours. After 48 hours strain the cardamom out of the simple syrup. Cardamom infused simple syrup will stay good in the fridge, in an airtight container for 3 weeks.
This cocktail has almost a semi-tropical taste, it had me beaming for warmer days. It’s the perfect cheery spring cocktail that will transition fabulously to a summer drink. These little coupe cocktails tend to be boozy and full of flavor so do watch how many you have. The guava fruit preserves do an ace job of masking the aged rum sharpness. Which is something to keep in mind if you’re looking for ways to amp up your favorite spirits.
A big thank you for Macaw Confections for sending over these fruit preserves and letting me get crafty with their product. Their fruit preserves can also be spread on cream cheese as a dip, mixed with yogurt for breakfast, or to layer in with your favorite cake. Grab a jar at one of the local Houston Phoenicia Specialty Stores or on their online store. You can also see them at the upcoming Chocolate, Strawberry, and Wine Festival in Plantersville, Texas.
With winter trying to push off, what flavors are you looking forward to bringing back out with the warmer weather? I definitely see more guava in my future.