After years and years of Tequila being king (or queen) of summer in our house, things are changing a bit. At least for me. My best friends, The Casadores Sisters, might be a bit alarmed to hear this but I’ve been enjoying the refreshing taste of rum lately as my summer beverage of choice. We got reacquainted on my most recent trip to Florida where I rediscovered its appeal after stumbling into a rum tasting at the resort hotel I was staying at. If you think all rums are created equal, think again. They aren’t. They have all the subtleties of any other liquor so they deserve just as much studied attention as you would give a good pinot.
Mojitos themselves are a simple drink if you should be so lucky as to have fresh mint in the house or growing in your garden. You can make them by the glass or by the pitcher, as I did, if you are serving for a group. I prefer them over ice but you can shake and strain them into an up glass to make a very sophisticated alternative to a martini.
The recipe here is presented for a single cocktail but it is easily adaptable to a pitcher. The drink excels when the mint is allowed to steep into the rum for an extended period so a mojito born of a pitcher is the true expression of this cocktail art. The soda water should be added at the very last possible moment prior to serving. I prefer gold rums but white rums are more commonly associated with this cocktail. Create according to your own preference. But do make on this summer!
Mojito
This is what you will need:
- 2 oz gold rum
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 T simple syrup
- 9 sprigs of mint
This is how you make it:
- In a shaker with ice, put mint and simple syrup in a glass and muddle with muddler or wooden spoon breaking up mint, add rum and strain into rocks glass filled with ice.
- Float soda water on the top and garnish with lime wheel and sprig of mint.
Love mojitos! If you can get it – Pritchards Key Lime rum is amazing.
I’ll look for it Kate. Used the last of my rum on these!