🥃 Mary Pickford
Classic Havana cocktail of the 1920s: white rum, pineapple juice, maraschino and grenadine, named after silent film star Mary Pickford. IBA lists it as The Unforgettables.
Mary Pickford is a classic Cuban cocktail of white rum, pineapple juice, maraschino liqueur and grenadine, shaken with ice. It was named after Mary Pickford, the star of American silent films. The International Bartenders Association (IBA) lists the cocktail in the Unforgettables category, alongside the daiquiri.
Recipe. The IBA recipe is 45 ml of white rum, 45 ml of fresh pineapple juice, 7.5 ml of maraschino and 5 ml of grenadine syrup. Shake everything with ice and strain into a chilled glass, without garnish. Difford's Guide uses more rum, 60 ml of light gold, and garnishes the glass with a maraschino cherry.
History. The cocktail appeared in Havana in the 1920s, when American bartenders and tourists went to Cuba because of Prohibition in the USA. The first known printed description is in Basil Woon's book of 1928: two thirds pineapple juice, one third Bacardi rum and a dash of grenadine. According to Woon, after the daiquiri it was one of the most popular drinks in Havana. Maraschino was added later.
Legends. The authorship is credited to the Englishman Fred Kaufman or to the New Yorker Eddie Woelke. Difford's Guide links the drink to the Hotel Nacional and to Pickford's visit together with Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. However, the foundation that manages the actress's legacy writes that she did not travel to Cuba during her marriage to Fairbanks, and that she only filmed there around 1912.
Why this matters to you. Pineapple juice and grenadine make the Mary Pickford sweet and fruity, so 45–60 ml of rum barely shows. It is the same strong alcohol as neat rum. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol.
Facts
| Raw material | white rum 45 ml, fresh pineapple juice 45 ml, maraschino 7.5 ml, grenadine 5 ml (IBA) |
|---|---|
| Year founded | Havana, 1920s; first printed description 1928 (Basil Woon) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Mary Pickford → affects → 🍷 Alcohol and health ← affects ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- What it contains
- 🥃 Maraschino
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- 🥃 Bacardi Limited, 🍷 Prohibition in the United States, 🥃 Bartender
- Part of
- 🥃 Rum
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Daiquiri, 🥃 Cuba Libre
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Mary Pickford herself invented the cocktail?
No. The cocktail is only named after her. The author is considered a Havana bartender, Fred Kaufman or Eddie Woelke, and the actress's foundation doubts she ever visited Cuba in those years.
What goes into a Mary Pickford?
The IBA recipe: 45 ml of white rum, 45 ml of fresh pineapple juice, 7.5 ml of maraschino and 5 ml of grenadine.
When did the Mary Pickford appear?
In Havana in the 1920s. The first known printed recipe is in Basil Woon's book of 1928.
Was there maraschino in the first recipe?
No. Woon's version had only pineapple juice, rum and a dash of grenadine. Maraschino was added later, and the IBA recipe now includes it.
Which rum should be used for a Mary Pickford?
White or light gold rum. The IBA specifies white; Difford's Guide uses light gold rum aged 1–3 years.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 Bacardi Limited — Privately held spirits company founded in 1862 in Santiago de Cuba; global headquarters in Hamilton, Bermuda; more than 200 brands and labels.
- 🍷 Prohibition in the United States — From 1920 to 1933 the making and sale of alcohol were banned in the US; wine for religious rites was one of the few exceptions.
- 🥃 Bartender — A bar worker who mixes and serves drinks behind the counter; Jerry Thomas described the profession in a 1862 book, and the IBA has united bartenders since 1951.
- 🥃 Cuba Libre — Long drink of white rum, cola and lime juice in a highball glass with ice (IBA, Contemporary Classics); by the best-known version, it appeared in Havana in 1900.
Similar
🥃 Mojito · 🥃 Piña Colada · 🥃 Planter's Punch · 🥃 Cuba Libre · 🥃 Zombie · 🥃 Hemingway Special
Sources
- IBA — International Bartenders Association: Mary Pickford (The Unforgettables; 45 ml white rum, 45 ml fresh pineapple juice, 7.5 ml Maraschino Luxardo, 5 ml grenadine syrup; shake with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass)
- Difford's Guide: Mary Pickford Cocktail — 1920s Havana, Prohibition era, attributed to Fred Kaufman (Hotel Nacional de Cuba); Basil Woon, When It's Cocktail Time in Cuba (1928): two-thirds pineapple juice, one-third Bacardi, dash of grenadine; maraschino a later addition
- Mary Pickford Foundation: The Origin of the Mary Pickford Cocktail — earliest print record Basil Woon 1928; creator unknown (Eddie Woelke or Fred Kaufman); Pickford and Fairbanks made no trips to Cuba during their marriage; she filmed in Cuba around 1912
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)