Welcome to summertime in Texas. At this point, you haven’t stopped sweating since May and the apocalyptic winter foretold by Game of Thrones is sounding more and more appealing. What you need, my friend, is the perfect summer cocktail. A cocktail that’s refreshing without being too sweet, has many variations to keep you interested, and will impress your friends when you make it at a BBQ.
What you need is a mojito.
Traditional mojitos contain simple ingredients that pack a huge punch of flavor: light rum, lime, mint, sugar, and club soda. Some recipes call for all sorts of tools and muddling, but as busy adults, we don’t always have time for all that. To remedy this, we’ve come up with a straightforward recipe that requires two simple tools: a shot glass and a mason jar.
The No Fail Mojito
Hardware:
1 oz. shot glass
mason jar with lid
Software:
1 oz. light rum
12 mint leaves
5 lime slices
club soda or citrus soda
1/2 oz. simple syrup*
ice
User Guide:
Fill mason jar halfway with ice and add rum, simple syrup, lime slices (squeeze the juice in and then drop the lime slice into the jar), and mint leaves. Top with more ice. Screw on lid and shake vigorously, or until mint and limes are sufficiently agitated. Open lid and top with club soda, if you prefer a less sweet drink, or citrus soda, if you prefer a sweeter drink. Add a straw, if desired.
*Simple syrup – A 1:1 ratio of sugar and water boiled until all sugar is dissolved. Store in a squirt bottle for ultimate convenience. This can be purchased at most grocery stores if you’re not up to getting your stove dirty.
Sure, it’s not as simple as your standard rum & Coke, but I can guarantee you it’s better by a mile. The best part? Mojitos are completely customizable. Try different rums, throw in some fruit, add a splash of fruit juice or fruit nectar, go wild!
Here are some tried-and-true variations:
Black & Blue Mojito
Add blackberries and blueberries before shaking. Top with sparkling wine instead of club soda.
Add ½ oz of coconut cream (buy the squeezable version from Coco Real – you’ll thank yourself later) before shaking. Swap the light rum out for coconut rum.
Tropical Mojito
Add diced fresh pineapple, mango nectar, and passion fruit nectar before shaking.
For more tips and tricks to throw the best backyard BBQ, click here!
Cheers!
The Bar at Grand Stafford Theater
Image Sources:
Mojitos – http://bit.ly/29bZb24
Coconut Mojito – http://bit.ly/1Y94Uap