Cocktails at Home: Mojitos

Mojitos The Traditional Cuban Concoction Makes a Trendy Comeback.

Mojito comes from the African word meaning, “to cast a little spell.” This Havana staple continues to pop up on menus around the U.S. and worldwide.

The five traditional ingredients in a mojito are muddled mint, rum, cane sugar, lime juice, and club soda, but many variations abound. It’s the perfect blend to put a little magic into your summer parties and events.

Traditional Mojito 3 fresh mint sprigs 2 tsp sugar 3 tbsp fresh lime juice 1-1/2 oz light rum club soda In a tall thin glass, crush part of the mint with a fork to coat the inside. Add the sugar and lime juice and stir thoroughly. Top with ice. Add rum and mix. Top off with “chilled” club soda (or seltzer). Add a lime slice and the remaining mint, and serve. Apple Mojito 2 oz Bacardi® Big Apple rum 6 oz club soda 3 lime wedges 2 tsp sugar 3 fresh mint sprigs Add the lime, sugar and mint sprigs to a highball glass and muddle with a muddler. Add several ice cubes and pour in the Bacardi apple rum. Top with club soda (adjust to taste), and stir. Garnish with an apple slice and a lime wedge, and serve. Mandarin Mojito 1-1/2 oz Absolut® Mandrin vodka 3 oz sweet and sour mix 3 oz Sprite® soda 1 lime wedge 4 mint leaves Add mint and lime wedge into Collins glass, then muddle. Fill glass with ice. Add half Sprite (or 7-Up) and the other half with sweet and sour mix. Shake in mixing tin and pour.

Passion Fruit Mojito 2-1/2 oz of your favorite Dark Rum 1 tsp (heaped) Muscovado sugar 6 lime wedges 10 - 12 mint leaves 1 oz passion-fruit puree 2 oz soda 2/3 of a glass crushed ice Muddle the lime, sugar, soda, 8 to 10 mint leaves and 1 teaspoon of crushed ice. Add remaining ice, passion fruit and rum. Mix vigorously for one minute, then garnish with remaining mint leaves and lime wedge if desired. Herradura Mango Mojito 1-1/2 oz Herradura® silver tequila 3 fresh mint sprigs 2 tsp sugar 1 tbsp fresh lime juice 2-1/2 oz fresh mango juice 1 splash club soda Muddle the mint leaves, sugar and lime juice in the bottom of a tall glass. Add Herradura and mango juice. Add a splash of club soda and ice cubes. Serve with a mint leaf garnish. Mojito Diablo 1-1/2 oz white tequila 1/2 oz creme de cassis 2 lime wedges 12 fresh mint leaves 3 - 6 oz 7-Up® soda 1 tbsp brown sugar Muddle sugar, mint and squeezed lime wedges in mixing tin until mixture smells like spearmint gum. Fill with ice, add tequila and cassis, shake until the tin is icey to the touch. Pour into a collins glass, top with 7-Up and garnish with a sugarcane stick and fresh mint.