Cuban mojito recipe
Cuban Mojito step by step
Cuban Mojito – Authentic Recipe Preparation time10 min Number of people: 1
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of white sugar.
- 8 mint leaves.
- 30 ml of lime juice.
- 60 ml of Cuban rum.
- ½ sliced lime
- 120 ml of soda or sparkling water.
- Crushed ice.
- Angostura.
Utensils:
- cocktail shaker
- grinder
The Cuban Mojito might be the most well-known rum cocktail in the world, as well as the national drink of Cuba. It is also one of the most popular mixes in cocktails, thanks to its refreshing and exotic flavor, as well as the versatility of its ingredients, which allow for a wide variety of versions of the original with different flavors and colors.
The Cuban Mojito is a tropical cocktail from the “caipira” family, similar to the Caipirinha, the Margarita, the Daiquiri or the Pisco Sour. The origin of this refreshing cocktail dates back to the 16th century, in 1586, although some place it much further back. According to these stories, the authorship of these tropical drinks, which were called “Draques” by the corsairs and pirates of the Caribbean, is none other than Sir Francis Drake, the famous English pirate.
The original “Draque” was made with tafia, a primitive distillate of cane sugar that would eventually become the rum we know today, but had a much stronger flavor. The famous English corsair mixed the tafia with lemon, to prevent scurvy, water to reduce the bitter taste of the brandy, mint or spearmint to refresh the cocktail, and ice, to combat the heat of the Caribbean area.
The ingredients of the Mojito can vary a bit, but white rum, sugar and mint can not be missing. In this sense, all the ingredients are added directly to the glass, without going through the shaker. The glass must be wide and tall, of the so-called Collins.
We start by mashing the mint leaves, being careful not to break them. Add a little sugar and pour in the lime juice. With the pestle or a long spoon we stir a little. Next, add a few pieces of lime and mash a little more, pressing the fruit against the bottom sugar. Pour the rum and add the crushed ice, fill the rest with soda and add a few drops of angostura (this part is optional).
Now that you know how to prepare Mojito, we recommend that you do not add bitters, ginger ale or tonic, as it could spoil the flavor. If you don’t have soda or sparkling water, it’s best to remove this part of the Mojito recipe, as any of these ingredients could backfire.
