But Mojito is GOOD ENOUGH without a doubt, to be declared as world's most refreshing cocktail! The fresh mint flavour perfectly paired with a slightly sweet sensation of lime, a sparkle of fizzy soda water, and concerning the rum? What rum? Can't taste it at all!!
Mojito
Ahh Mojito. We understand that you are a summertime beverage, but it is fun making you anytime of the year.
If ever we have a sweet craving in summer, you as the first thing that pops into our head. Winter we say, we have to make out the best use of all the mint in the blooming mint bush. In fact to make one of you doesn't even require the mass of even a small mint plant. We only need any half hearted excuse to make you!!
What does a mojito taste like?
Mojitos has a small sweetness and it is similar to a carbonated mint lime. Unfortunately, it's impossible to even get a hint of the rum (which I think is a drawback… serious CUBA Libre is flavored with rum, don't you know! 😉) All in all, it is a very summery and I think very healthy beverage, which is very easy to drink indeed.
Ingredients in Mojito
- 10 mint leaves
- 30 ml / 1 oz lime juice
- 60 ml / 2 oz white rum
- 30 ml / 1 oz sugar syrup which is 50%/50% sugar and water.
- 1/2 cup club soda/soda water
Generally, club soda and soda water are the same thing. And fianlly, there is water that has been purposefully infused with carbon dioxide gas. Actually, you should not use sparkling mineral water because it contains natural mineral taste and is not quite gasly. But it's a fine substitute!
Best rum for Mojito
Bacardi is the original and the best known one. Well, it's a Puerto Rican white rum then so it fits the bill for Mojito which originally comes from Cuba.
How to make a VIRGIN Mojito!
Still, there's no reason not to enjoy this fruity, minty pleasure – just omit the rum for virgin Mojito! White rum is little or not appreciable in terms of contributing towards taste to this cocktail but you have all the right stuff – such as the lovely refreshing flavours!
How to make Mojito
- Insert mint, lime and sugar in glass, crush the mint leaves with the muddler to give a bruised texture. If you don't have one just dont put the mint in a juice extractor – just crumble the mint bardzo miękko i dodaj do nich to
- Insert ice, then try and pour in rum and soda; stir and then pore.
- Serve with a wedge of lime and a little sprig of mint if preferred.
Mojito Tips!
One of the secret of having a good Mojito is to successively bruise the mint leaves in the glass using a muddler (or a pestle as archaeology suggests). This process of squishing the mint leaves with the flat of the glass seen above is called muddling. It's a term used during preparation of a cocktail as well as a method on how it is prepared.
But some bar tenders also prefer to muddle lime wedges in the glass before pouring the mixture. I prefer not to do this for 2 reasons:
- Intense stirring may bring bitter taste resulting from the white part of limes into the drink; and
- It is impossible to quantify the quantity of lime juice which has been introduced into your mojito. Of course, you can feel the taste of your cocktail and, for example, add some more alcohol to the glass But will your friends care if you take a gulp from the pitcher you are preparing for them?
And one last thing do not use granulated sugar, always use sugar syrup! Sugar granules are difficult (and frustrating) to dissolve. That's why no one wants grainy sugar crunch in their mojito, Right?
What to serve with Mojito
That's why Mojitos are great with tasty creamy dips with salty chips! These are my personal favourites to pair with Mojitos:
- French Onion Dip using any of the two recipes or a shortcut French Onion SOUP Mix Dip with crisped potato – the minty freshness of Lipton's combined with the sweet-savoury caramelised onion dip is exquisite.
- Another, which fits quite well with this drink, is Cucumber Canapes with Smoked Salmon Mousse.
- Guacamole and corn chips – couldn't be more appropriate;
- To try something new do check the Restaurant Style Salsa – that's something that can't be bought in jars!
- Pig Out Salsa (chorizo, corn and bean salsa) is actually excellent following this theme as well!
Cocktail hour is upon us. Time for a mojito!! 🍹🍹
Ingredients
- 30ml / 1 oz lime juice fresh
- 30ml / 1 oz sugar syrup homemade (Note 1)
- 10 mint leaves
- 60ml / 2 oz white rum, I used Bicardi (Note 2).
- 1/2 cup / 125ml club soda / soda water (note 3)
Garnishes
- Lime wedges or slices
- Mint sprigs
Instructions
- To make the drink, pour lime juice, rum and sugar syrup jointly into a tall glass. Employ a muddler (Note 4) to crush the mint to let out principally flavoured oils.
- If personal preference is for ice in the glass, add ice to glass before pouring rum and then topped the glass with soda water and then stir.
- Serve with lime rind and crumbled mint. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
- Sugar syrup – a mix of water and white sugar, heat in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Cold then keep in the refrigerator for some months. Alcohol used in making cocktail recipes. It's also preferable to use syrup rather than struggling to dissolve the sugar granules when preparing mojito.
- White rum – any white rum okay here, Bacardi is probably the most recognized here in Australia.
- Club soda or soda water – it just a plain water with added carbon dioxide gas. Avoid using the sparkling mineral water, that contains gaseous particles naturally and flavours from the minerals.
- Muddler - this is a tool used in cocktail making to crush things such as herbs or fruits in the glass to release some flavours that will mix with the remaining cocktail. Of course, a pestle would be perfect for the job as well! Otherwise, simply layer the mint leaves in the glass and then follow recipe without muddling the mint.
- No muddling lime wedges: Lime wedges muddling in the glass that you used to see some bartenders are not a common thing as they were in the past. I avoid this because vigorous straining can force the bitterness from the white part of the lime into the drink. But after 1 or 2 mojitos I get very enthusiastic with muddling!! And, more importantly, just better to measure the lime juice properly).
Nutrition per serving.
