Mojito. It’s fun to say, isn’t? The word rolls off the tip of the tongue—much like the sweet, minty drink itself. Mojitos are one of my favorite summer cocktails—light and frothy, they’re cool and just beg to be sipped in warmer weather.
Mojitos are of Cuban origin—and in fact, they’re highballs. Traditional mojitos are made of five ingredients and served in a Collins glass: white rum, sugar cane juice, lime, sparkling water, and mint. Mojito preparation consist of the following steps: adding lime juice to the sugar and mint leaves, then gently mashing the mixture with a muddler. (The mint leaves, I should tell you, are meant only to be bruised to release their delicious essential oils—they shouldn’t be shredded.) Then, rum is added and the mixture should briefly be stirred to dissolve the sugar and float the mint sprigs to the top of the glass. Finally, throw in a couple of ice cubes and top with sparkling water, then garnish with lime wedges and additional mint leaves.
Some of the best mojitos I’ve had, however, veer off the beaten path of the traditional Cuban formula. Try making your next mojito with flavored vodka—like mango, lychee, or mandarin—for an exotic twist. Or, for a distinctly Mexican version of the drink, substitute tequila. There’s also the dirty mojito, which calls for spiced rum, brown sugar syrup, key limes, crushed mint, and soda, and that one sounds especially delicious as well. The point, however—as is true with any culinary pursuit—is to make something uniquely yours, something that you’ll always enjoy and that you’ll look forward to sharing with friends. Summer sips are meant to be shared, after all!
Here’s one of my favorite recipes for traditional mojitos, originally published in the much-missed Gourmet magazine in 1943. A classic, indeed.
Sloppy Joe’s Mojito
Adapted from Gourmet magazine
- 1 lime, halved crosswise
- 3 fresh mint sprigs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 oz (2 tablespoons) white rum
- 1/3 cup chilled sparkling water
Preparation
Squeeze juice from both lime halves into a 12-ounce highball glass, then add lime halves. Add mint and sugar and crush mint with back of a spoon until sugar is dissolved. Add rum and stir. Add ice, then top off drink with sparkling water and stir well.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/Sloppy-Joes-Mojito-201094#ixzz0v2ShdpTP