Mojitos

The classic Cuban cocktail is the basis for this extra-natural version and it is such a treat on a warm summer day.

Ingredients:
8 limes cut in eighths
20 fresh sprigs of mint (Moroccan mint is our current favorite)
6 heaping TBS of raw cane sugar
1 cup dark rum
1 cup chilled sparkling water
crushed or flaked ice

Preparation:
Crush the lime pieces with the leaves of 12 sprigs of mint into the sugar in a large metal bowl or pot. We use a wooden hammer or a stone pestle to get the job done but you can use your hands as well. (from experience: plastic gloves might help keep the sugar in the recipe rather than all over your fingers and make your guests feel a bit more at ease should they happen to be watching) Add a cup of crushed ice to the bowl.

Give the mixture a real good workover and then let it sit for 10 minutes to marinate.

Add the rum and the sparkling water and it is ready to serve.

Serving:
Fill your favorite sort of glass with chipped ice, flaked ice, crushed ice… (whatever kind of ice you can get your hands on) then take a ladle and pour as much of the cocktail into the glass as you want then stick one of the remaining mint sprigs into the ice as decoration along with a few short straws. For those that prefer a bit more kick… top of the glass with a splash of dark rum just before serving.  An alternative method for serving this drink is to simply reverse the process and add the liquid first, then top off the glass with ice, add the mint sprig and then one last splash of rum!

Hope you enjoy this summer treat as much as we do – and remember to always have a camera on hand to capture those special moments just after one of your friends has finished his/her 3rd Mojito and they try to stand up and walk around.  ;-)