"Un Cuba Libre" translates literally as "A Free Cuba". They don't call them that any more in Miami. Its "Una Mentirita"--"A Little White Lie".

The perfect Cuba Libre is simplicity itself, a jigger of rum (Cuban or Puerto Rican 80 proof rum only, puh-leeeze), and top off with Classic Coke in a cocktail glass with ice cubes. A slice of lime is not just a garnish, it is an essential component, needed to cut the harsh edge of the spirits. Squeeze the lime into the drink, and throw away the peel.

The first one is heaven, the second is mellow peace and satisfaction, the third is past the peak and a great place to stop. Anything more is overkill.

My idea of heaven is an Adirondack chair under the shade of an Australian Pine by the seashore, a gentle breeze off the water, with a cooler full of Rum and Coke fixin's within easy reach.