The mojito is fueling a minty-fresh trend. The Cuban libation teams mint with rum, sugar and lime juice. Over the past few years, it has become a must-have concoction in watering holes from coast to coast.
“Mojitos are extremely, extremely popular,” said Nicole Aloni, author of “The Backyard Bartender: 55 Cool Summer Cocktails” (Clarkson Potter, $16.95). “When you see a major company like Bacardi making auxiliary products like mojito kits and muddlers (devices for crushing mint and sugar into a paste), you know it’s a commodity. And now more and more variations are being made. It’s the only cocktail that can be placed in the same category popularity-wise as the margarita.”
Here’s a recipe adapted from Aloni’s book.
MAKE YOUR OWN MOJITO
YIELD: 8 SERVINGS OR A PITCHER
Ingredients
1 bunch fresh mint (about 40 leaves)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lime juice
1 1/2 to 2 cups light rum
Directions
Make some lime-mint ice cubes; pour fresh lime juice into an ice cube tray and add a mint leaf to each cube, then freeze. Chill pitcher.
Combine mint and sugar in a bowl. Use muddler, pestle or sturdy wooden spoon to crush into a paste.
Stir in lime juice and rum. Cover and refrigerate up to several hours.
Strain mixture into a chilled pitcher. Add lime-mint ice cubes and an extra handful of fresh mint.
To serve, pour about 1/3 cup of mixture into a glass filled with crushed ice. Top with soda water and stir.
