The Mojito is said to have originated in Havana, Cuba in the 16th century. The epidemic of dysentery was prevalent aboard ships bound to the small island. The local South American Indians in Cuba at that time had remedies for various tropical illnesses, so a small party would go ashore and come back with ingredients for medicines, which were effective. The ingredients were aguardiente de caña (a crude form of rum made from sugar cane which translates to “fire water”) added with local ingredients - limes, sugar cane juice and mint. These ingredients were mainly used to cut the harsh taste of the alcohol. English Rum was later used as soon as it became available.
Even today, the mojito is one of the most requested summers cocktails on any drink menu. The five-ingredient highball drink is a go-to for anyone trying to beat the heat. Classically, the mojito is made with white rum, sugar, lime juice, mint and club soda. Different variations of this drink are found all over , and range from strawberry basil to guava puree. The mojito is a mixture of simple ingredients that will stand up against any heavy ingredient cocktail.
TOOLS NEEDED:
Muttler (the back of a large wooden spoon works)
Highball glass
Bar Spoon
Paring Knife
Cutting Board
INGREDIENTS:
12 Mint leaves
2 tsp of sugar
.75 oz Fresh lime juice
1.5 oz White rum (Any White rum will do)
Seltzer
Crushed Ice
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add 12 mint leaves and 2 tsp of simple syrup (sugar is ok) to the highball glass. Roll the lime on a cutting board to release some oils. Cut in half, squeeze half of the lime into glass.
- Gently muttle all the ingredients in the bottom of the glass (DON’T ground the leave into small pieces)
- Add 1.5 oz of white rum and stir with bar spoon
- Fill the glass ¾ with crushed ice.
- Top off with seltzer and more crushed ice.
- Garnish with a sprig of mint.
