Year of the Mojito

[olive bleu]

With dreams of summer filling my head lately, my thoughts have turned to cocktails. Specifically, which one I am most often going to find in my paw this year. I have decided it will be the Mojito. I've ordered them when out, and enjoy them, but have actually never made them at home.Which is surprising,even to myself,as I love rum. So, I turn to the libation experts..surely some of you must have the perfect mojito recipe you would be willing to share? Do you prefer golden or white rum? granulated sugar or simple syrup? and just how muddled must my muddling be??

 

[jmrtnko]

Not to dodge the request but most of your questions are really up to your personal tastes. The good thing is that finding those tastes can be rather... er... rewarding.

I wouldn't muddle the mint too much. You just want to bruise and abrade the leaves a bit, not mash them. Mashing crushes the stems and ribs which, in most varieties of mint, are bitter. The shaking will take care of the rest.

Recipes? Well, it's really just a tall sour. Start with the basic sour recipe of 3 parts spirit (rum), 2 parts sweet (sugar or simple), and 1 part sour (lime juice) and then go from there. It probably won't end up being your favorite, but it will be perfectly drinkable and a good starting point.

For a tall drink that's going to be served over a full glass of ice, I wouldn't worry too much about simple syrup vs. granulated sugar. Go simple and use the simple. Using the sugar to muddle is nice theater, but really doesn't make much difference in the end until you perfect your recipe.

Gold or light rum can often be less of a difference than where the rum comes from. For a tall summer rum sour on a hot day, I like a Cuban, Puerto Rican or Nicaraguan light. For something served up, more like a normal cocktail, I prefer gold.

And it's probably preaching to the choir, but the only other thing I'd recommend is to always, always, always use fresh, hand-squeezed lime. If you're not, then don't bother with any of the above and just get a jug of Bacardi and a pre-made mix.

Ooh, ooh, and try it without adding soda at least once.

 

[John in Covina]

Friends use some type of cane syrup. Had one where the mixer used dark rum and that was not right!

i first ran into it as the libation of choice at the piano bar in the Bellagio in Las Vegas July 2007 during the big birthday vegas trip.

 

[olive bleu]

Thanks John and JMRTNKO. After my first attempt, i kinda figured out I was mashing the mint too much. It WAS a bit bitter. And I did use fresh squeezed lime. 1 lime per drink.The first time I made them I used some Appleton's i had on hand..which i actually found a bit heavy.( for this drink, I mean) I used Mountgay on the weekend and actually preferred that.

 

[brothelcreeper]

Having worked as a bartender, I, maybe unjustly, think I know a little about the Mojito.

I've been taught, and found myself, that muddling the mint AT ALL is going to get you into trouble. You don't want to bruise the mint otherwise you will turn it bitter. What all my colleagues and I do is to cup the left hand slightly, holding the mint in the slight depression. Then give it an almighty whack with your right, a nice wake up to those at the bar and something that always gets a "Why did you do that?". This slap wakes up the flavour as well without bruising.

Always granulated, raw sugar. I know guys who will use simple syrup, or even granulated castor sugar and this really isn't to my liking. Castor = caprioska to me and rum demands something more natural.

With white vs. dark rum is personal preference. Personally I prefer dark, just because there's a myriad of varieties with distinct characteristics (Gosling's Black Seal Rum is up there in my favourites, though I'm more a gin man).

Recipe: Tall glass.
Squeeze 2 quarters of a lime and leave in glass
2 teaspoons of granulated raw sugar
Handful of mint
Top with crushed ice
60ml rum
Stir upwards so the lime and mint get pulled up through the ice, as well as dissolving the sugar
Top with soda

Anyway, hope that was of some help.

 

[olive bleu]

Thanks BROTHELCREEPER, that's definitely what i was looking for..what try these ideas this weekend!

 

[WH1]

You know my wife and I love mojitos, a summer go to for us. Tonight we did a variation with dinner. Skirt steak and potatoes on the grill with a light salad accompanied by mojitos but instead of club soda I used a local ginger ale (Buffalo Rock), strong ginger flavor which gives them a bite that is amazing. Perhaps there is already a drink like this but I don't know it.

 

[olive bleu]

You know my wife and I love mojitos, a summer go to for us. Tonight we did a variation with dinner. Skirt steak and potatoes on the grill with a light salad accompanied by mojitos but instead of club soda I used a local ginger ale (Buffalo Rock), strong ginger flavor which gives them a bite that is amazing. Perhaps there is already a drink like this but I don't know it.

What a coinkidink. I actually did this as well ( at my husbands suggestion) after we ran out of club soda. It was delicious. ..by the way..we also had steak and potatoes for dinner tonight