Mojito
A Cuban classic with fresh mint, lime and white rum: crisp, sweet and refreshing on a hot day.
Ingredients
- White rum, Cuban style, ideally50 ml
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed25 ml
- Mint, fresh leaves, muddled gently10 leaves
- Ice, crushed icefill the glass
- Simple syrup (1 part Sugar, 1 part Water)15 ml
- Soda watertop up
- Mint, lightly slapped between your hands, to garnish (optional)1 sprig
- Lime, to garnish (optional)1 wheel
Method
- Put the mint leaves in the bottom of a tall glass and pour the simple syrup over them.
- Muddle the mint gently to release its aroma, without tearing the leaves.
- Add the lime juice and stir lightly.
- Pour the white rum into the glass.
- Fill the glass with crushed ice.
- Top up with soda water and stir gently, lifting the mint up through the drink.
- Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wheel, and serve at once.
About this drink
The Mojito comes from Cuba and is thought to have roots in the sixteenth-century 'El Draque', a simple mix of cane spirit, lime and mint. The Havana bar La Bodeguita del Medio made the drink world-famous in the twentieth century, and Ernest Hemingway is said to have been a regular. The simple balance of acidity, sweetness and mint oil makes it one of the most recognisable summer drinks of all.
Questions and answers
Why does my Mojito taste bitter?
Probably because the mint has been over-muddled. Press the leaves too hard or for too long and bitter compounds are released from the stems. A few light presses with the muddler are all it takes.
Which rum suits a Mojito best?
A light, dry white rum lets the mint and lime lead without fighting them. A dark or spiced rum moves the drink in a quite different, less refreshing direction.
Can you prepare Mojitos for a crowd?
Not entirely. A Mojito is best built fresh. You can mix the rum, lime and sugar ahead (up to 24 hours in the fridge before the lime loses its flavour), but muddle the mint just before serving, or it oxidises and turns dark and bitter. Add the soda water and ice at the very end.
