A perfect drink for a warm sunny day, or even a cold wintry day when you want to feel like you’re at the beach. A few years ago, we began growing Mojito mint – what a plant! Like all mints, it is easy to grow and provides plenty to cut. But, the added attraction is that this is the real deal and an essential ingredient in a mint mojito, a cool summer drink that has been popular in Cuba since the 1920’s.
Remember the secret: fresh mint that is crushed with sugar to release the mint’s essential oil.
Bonus tip: if you grow this indoors, you can enjoy fresh mojitos all year long.
Mint Mojito Ingredients
- 2 tsp sugar, more or less to taste
- 10 fresh mojito mint leaves
- 1/4 cup (2 oz.) white rum
- 2 tbs fresh lime juice
- 6 oz. bottle club soda (chilled)
- crushed ice
- lime slices
- mint sprig
Place sugar and mint in a tall glass and crush – fill the glass with crushed ice and add rum, lime juice and club soda. Garnish with the mint sprig and lime slices. Then sit back enjoy and feel like the beach!
PS: For any teetotalers out there (like me) this mint makes a great lemonade!
When I was in Ybor City, Florida I had a mojito made in a classic Cuban bar …complete with cigar rolling area in the front window area. This area adjacent to Tampa has a long history of Cuban culture. The bartender noted how important it was to include the mint stems in the muddle with the sugars as they hold a lot of essential aromatic oils in them. She used a wood muddler, about 2 inches in diameter and long enough to easily fit into the mojito glass. Ybor City is a lovely old French Quarter cum Cuban style town complete with roaming chickens. Worth the trip!