‘Mojito Bonito Guapito’

Many moons ago in ‘Cook Magazine,’ we did a feature on the mojito. It was a fairly new drink in town (by that, I mean not everyone knew what the drink was all about), so we were testing some recipes. A little white rum here, some lime there, a little more rum, some soda, more lime, crushed mint leaves, a lacey stream of syrup...a little more soda...oops, too much soda...more rummmm....

Cooks

Nancy Reyes-Lumen

THIS drink has arrived. Young professionals are learning to mix it at home, and in trendy places like TGIFriday’s and Tony Roma’s, it’s taken over where the margarita wave has reached a plateau. Trendspotters would have noticed that fresh mint and spearmint leaves are now always available (like in Rustan’s) when before, it was only occasionally on the shelves or was left untouched. It used to be that mint leaves went to homemade mint sauce for lamb dishes; now, it’s getting into a pop cocktail in all its glory, leaves and aromatics all!

Before we go any further, here’s a real easy version of this Cuban cooler:

Mojito for 4 drinks

1 cup white rum

½ pressed lime juice

½ lime, in wedges or slices

Mint leaves, washed well and patted dry

Sugar syrup, to sweeten

Lots of ice cubes

Enough soda water to fill the glass

Best to use a straight tall glass like a highball.

Or you can go crazy and serve it in a pitcher or what we used, an ice bucket!

Mix in the lime juice with the sugar syrup. Taste and check if it’s not too sweet. Fill each glass with lots of ice. Pour the sweet lime juice, then the rum. Gently rub some mint leaves to release oils, but do not crush these or the leaves will get bitter. Add to the drink. Fill in the glass with soda water.

The reason why I advise not to make the drink too sweet is so that you’ll be able to taste the rum. And the reason I advise such is so that you’ll know that it has a kick! Rum is a subtle, sneaky drink, especially when refreshingly blended with lime or lemon...so one will hardly notice the alcohol kick till one has had a little too many...too late. Add to that the numbing effect of ice and you’re got a bad weather forecast: hangover headache fiesta! Or didn’t you know that the mojito is also known as a “smash” drink?!

Mint and juleps

WITH mint and sugar being the common ingredients, the mojito is cousin to the mint juleps, which are the most popular drinks in the southern part of the US of A. Again, there is that fine combination of mint and sugar and soda with lots of ice. Both are served in a high ball glass, tall and straight like a cadet. It’s in the spirits used where the drinks differ. Mint juleps are bourbon-based while mojitos are of rum. Both belong to what bartenders and drinkers call “smash” drinks.

Here’s a recipe for mint julep (from Time Life Books’ The Good Cook volume on beverages.)

Churchill downs Mint Julep for 4 drinks

1 cup bourbon

¼ cup chopped mint leaves

Sugar

¼ cup water

Finely crushed ice

More mint leaves

Bruise mint leaves in some sugar, using the back of a spoon or a pestle. Make it into a paste. Then add water and stir up. Fill glass with ice and pour sugar-mint blend and blend in. Fill in the glass with soda water.

Now aren’t these the easiest drinks you can ever serve in a jiffy? Let’s drink to that...here’s to a “smashing” time with mojitos and mint juleps!

Nancy’s Notes

(Morning After: Oooh...Ouch...my head...)

If you’re drinking, don’t drive.

If you’re driving, don’t drink.

To cure hangovers, drink plenty of high-alkaline water like freshly drawn Kangen Water.

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‘Mojito Bonito Guapito’

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