Isle of Pines

This recipe is from January 2009 issue of Bon Appetit, but don't hold that against it. Steph and I both totally love this. And we're not normally big mixed drink drinkers. It's a bit sweet, a bit sour, a bit bitter, and a bit pink. Excerpt from the blurb in the magazine: "...little-known classic Cuban cocktail, the Isle of Pines, which takes the old-world name of Cuba's second-largest island." I've inserted some editorial comments.

Isle of Pines
makes 4

1/2 cup pomegranate juice [e.g., "Pom", available in supermarkets - TS]
1 Tb sugar
1 cup white rum [I used amber, because that's what I had, and it seemed fine - TS]
1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice [with pulp - about 1 juicy grapefruit's worth - TS]

Bring pomegranate juice and sugar to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolved. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool syrup. [I make double this recipe or more. That way I can just store the syrup in the fridge and use as needed. Too much of a pain to make this cocktail otherwise. - TS]

Pour 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup, 1/2 cup rum, and 1/4 cup grapefruit juice into cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into 2 Martini glasses. Repeat to make 2 more drinks.