“Cuban Cocktails: 100 Classic and Modern Drinks.” By Ravi DeRossi, Jane Danger and Alla Lapushchik. Sterling Publishing Company. $24.95

These days Americans have Cuba on the mind. President Obama’s recent push to lift the embargo first enacted in 1962 coupled with his visit have placed Cuba firmly center stage.

Who even remembers the Cold War? It’s hard not to be entranced by this romantic island nation, which evokes images of classic American ’60s cars, curled cigar smoke in Havana cantinas and, of course, Ernest Hemingway at Bar La Florida downing glass after endless glass of rum concoctions.

In “Cuban Cocktails: 100 Classic and Modern Drinks,” Ravi DeRossi, Jane Danger and Alla Lapushchik make it easy to love Cuba through recipes centered around Havana’s liquide de vie: Rum.

The owners of Cienfuegos, a Cuban-inspired bar in Manhattan’s East Village, these Cuban drink enthusiasts have put together a book that combines classic recipes and those with more modern twists.

“Cuban Cocktails,” a handsome, 230-page hardcover volume, is filled with beautiful photos, engaging historical anecdotes and easy to follow recipes that lead to syrupy, sweet rum drinks.

To perfect these recipes, you’ll have to prepare some simple syrups and infusions. I was intimidated at first until I actually made a honey syrup for the Hot Buttered Rum recipe – no sweat. DeRossi, Danger and Lapushchik make each syrup recipe accessible to mixology laymen. Though it would be helpful to have standard barware – blender, jigger, juicer, muddler – I was successful using everyday kitchen ware.

I tested the Rum Old Fashioned, the aforementioned Hot Buttered Rum and the Honeysuckle. (Nice work if you can get it.)

The rum shone in a simple recipe for the Rum Old Fashioned, which calls for dark rum, demerara syrup, bitters and orange and lemon peels. The demerara syrup (again, it’s easy to prepare) gave a strong sweetness, which cut the alcohol burn. The book suggests Dorado 12 Year Rum, but I took the liberty of substituting Ration Rum from Maine Craft Distilling, which made a smooth, earthy Rum Old Fashioned.

On a cold spring night in March I prepared two Hot Buttered Rums for my wife and me. Using the Ration Rum again, I combined rum, water, honey syrup and butter – yeah, butter – in a saucepan and brought the mixture to a boil. Topped with fresh nutmeg, this drink was a silken cold weather dream.

The real winner was the Honeysuckle. Like a lot of recipes in this book, the Honeysuckle has a humble list of ingredients, but the resulting cocktail is brimming with fresh juice and rum flavors and is dangerously smooth. What I would give to toss a few back at Bar La Florida with Hemingway.

HONEYSUCKLE

For a local flare, I used Ration Rum from Maine Craft Distilling.

Makes 1 drink

2 ounces white rum

¾ ounce honey syrup

¾ ounce lime juice

Shake with ice, and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.