That's ahhhhhhh as in refreshing! As we are enjoying this lovely break in the heat and humidity, you may not feel you need such a refreshing beverage, but it is still summer, people, so it's a perfect excuse to make yourself an adult beverage that quenches your thirst while battling the heat.
It's also a way to use up some of that unruly mint that's taking over your garden, flower beds and lawn. What's that? You don't have that problem? Oh, must just be me, since I was dumb enough to put it in my garden with my other herbs. It has gone through the fence on one side and into my strawberry patch on the other, but it smells heavenly and I use it a lot. I just don't use enough to thwart its progress, but that's my problem, not yours so here is my recipe for a Mojito!
In case you are not familiar with mojitos, they are the perfect balance of tart and sweet with a refreshing kick of mint. It was a favorite drink of Cuba-phile Ernest Hemingway, so if you want to impress your friends (that is if you have friends that need impressing or really care that they think you're an intellectual), you can tell them, "This was the drink of choice of Ernest Hemingway, dahling." Make sure you add the "dahling" and talk like Thurston Howell. You know, from "Gilligan's Island"? Oh, I forgot, you're trying to act like an intellectual.
You could also say, "This here's the drink of that dude that wrote all those books we were supposed to read in high school. You know, the one whose name was on all those Cliff Notes?"
That should get them peering over their glasses (drink glasses) at you with awe and amazement and feeling so lucky to have a cosmopolitan friend like you to hang out and drink Mojitos. Or, make mojitos, but after the first one, you'll be over the work and tell them to make their own.
Please don't cop out and buy one of those pre-mixed bottles of mojitos or the mojito-flavored malt beverages. We're not in high school, I mean, college anymore, people! We, of the intellectual Mojito-sipping, Cliff Note and cheesy sitcom show-referencing set do not drink malt beverages! Is Zima even still on the market? Ah, memories......
OK, so enough chatter! I'm cutting into your happy hour, I know.
This recipe was slightly lifted, but I will tell you this: make some mint-infused simple syrup! You'll be glad you did if you want one of these and don't feel like going to the garden or the store for fresh mint or the mint you have has wilted and gotten moldy. Fresh mint does not keep well, that's for sure, but it really makes the drink and looks so pretty, too and last time I checked we were concerned with appearances, Lovey. You can find a simple syrup recipe anywhere but I'll be nice and put one here.
You can also use Blue Agave syrup but then you lose that extra mint flavor, but it's supposed to be better for you. You may substitute vodka for the light rum if you want to make Mr. Hemingway turn fitfully in his grave. But some of us don't tolerate it well, so you do what you gotta do. And these can be kid-friendly if you leave out the mint. Oh, I mean, if you leave out the rum. Right, go to sleepies, children....
MOJITO MANIA!!!!!!
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lime juice
2 heaping teaspoons superfine sugar (powdered can work well)
1 cup crushed ice
12 fresh mint leaves, plus 5 small sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup (2 ounces) white rum
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) club soda
In 10-ounce glass (such as Collins or highball), stir together lime juice and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add 1/4 cup crushed ice. Rub mint leaves over rim of glass, then tear leaves in half and add to glass. You may use a muddler or wooden spoon to mash them into the ice. Gently stir for 15 seconds, then add rum, remaining crushed ice, and club soda. Gently stir for 5 seconds, then tuck mint sprigs into top of glass and insert tall straw.
SIMPLE SYRUP:
1 1/2 cups packed fresh mint leaves1 cup sugar1 cup waterPreparationChop mint. In a saucepan bring sugar, water and mint to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer syrup, undisturbed, 2 minutes. Pour syrup through a fine sieve, pressing hard on solids, and cool. Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.
NOTE: some people put a sprinkle of bitters in their recipe and the original authentic one calls for it, but I leave it out. It's a matter of preference. Also, if using simple syrup it can be added to taste and will mix in easily enough that you can add it anytime.
CHEERS!
