The Mojito

[elfin]

I agree with Suzanne F. A mojito with other herbs, fruits or other flavorings is simply not a mojito. Had my first mojito in Havanna, Cuba and have not stopped drinking them since. Got the recipe and now make my own with the mint that (over)grows in my garden.

[Felonius]

So what's the authentic Mojito recipe? As I understand it, it's just fresh squeezed lime juice, muddled with plenty of crushed mint leaves, sugar cubes, and rum. Cuban rum would be the most authentic of course, but hard to come by in the US. I'm assuming the proper rum substitute would be a light (white) Carribbean rum of some sort. Also, maybe some sort of cane sugar water could replace the sugar, if one had access to such a thing.

Any words of wisdom from eGullet mojito experts?

[elfin]

The way they make them in Cuba is to muddle fresh mint leaves in a simple sugar syrup. (Cane syrup is more authentic). Add ice, pour in white rum, fresh squeezed lime juice and top with club soda and a wedge of lime. Ole!

[pnapoli]

had a very good one at lucy not long ago.

[juuceman]

The best Mojitos I've had in NYC were at Rialto (Elizabeth St. just South of Houston). It's the only place where they took the time to crush serious quantities of fresh mint and muddle all the lime juice from scratch. I haven't been in over year though, so no idea if it's still up to par.

Barazza, the Afro-Cuban bar on C and about 6th does the same.. first place i ever had a mojito, about three years ago..

[KatieLoeb]

So what's the authentic Mojito recipe?  As I understand it, it's just fresh squeezed lime juice, muddled with plenty of crushed mint leaves, sugar cubes, and rum.  Cuban rum would be the most authentic of course, but hard to come by in the US.  I'm assuming the proper rum substitute would be a light (white) Carribbean rum of some sort.  Also, maybe some sort of cane sugar water could replace the sugar, if one had access to such a thing.

Any words of wisdom from eGullet mojito experts?

You'll need two things to make a truly proper Mojito. You need Guarapo, or fresh sugar cane juice, and you need Yerbabuena, which is a partcular type of Cuban mint that give the drink it's unique flavor. Barring this, you can substitute simple syrup and regular mint, but I think sugar cubes wouldn't dissolve effectively.

[Blondie]

You need Guarapo, or fresh sugar cane juice, and you need Yerbabuena, which is a partcular type of Cuban mint that give the drink it's unique flavor. 

I always thought yerba buena was...

Never mind

[KatieLoeb]

You need Guarapo, or fresh sugar cane juice, and you need Yerbabuena, which is a partcular type of Cuban mint that give the drink it's unique flavor. 

I always thought yerba buena was...

Never mind

No - that's La Yerba Amable. The Kind Herb.

[beans]

So what's the authentic Mojito recipe?  As I understand it, it's just fresh squeezed lime juice, muddled with plenty of crushed mint leaves, sugar cubes, and rum.  Cuban rum would be the most authentic of course, but hard to come by in the US.  I'm assuming the proper rum substitute would be a light (white) Carribbean rum of some sort.  Also, maybe some sort of cane sugar water could replace the sugar, if one had access to such a thing.

Any words of wisdom from eGullet mojito experts?

Mojito is a true Cuban drink. The original recipe didn't contain soda, nor ice (for obvious reasons, outlined below).

The precursor of the Mojito, the Draque or Draquecito and was prepared at that time with Aguardiente de Cana, water, lime juice, sugar and yerbabuena. Yerbabuena is not indigenous of Cuba, but was brought in the island by African slaves from Haiti.

The Draque, named after Sir Francis Drake (called in Spanish, El Draque). Apparently it was his favourite drink before doing battle in the Caribbean sea. The Draque developed in the mid-nineteenth century, into a rum based drink with the arrival of Senor Don Facundo Bacardi in Cuba.

As far as guarapo (Spanish, also vejou in French), I'm not sure where that fits in as I thought that was the fermented sugar juice used to distill cachaça.

Does any of that help?

The "modern" Mojito recipe, as shared and posted by one wise cocktailian, Dom Costa, [different forum] is as follows:

1 tsp, granulated  white cane sugar,

½  oz fresh lime juice

2 mint sprigs (yes sprigs not only leaves, because they give much better

flavour)

1 ½ oz  Cuban white rum

2oz soda

Combine in a highball glass the lime juice, mint sprigs, sugar. Crush the mint

sprigs gently , you don’t need to make a puree out of them, add rum, ice

(cubed not crushed) and top up with soda, Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

This is the original recipe from the tepmple of the Mojito, “La Bodegiuta del

Medio”,  was given to me by Alberto Torres head bartender  during my visit

last december.

[emphasis mine]

Thank you George, queneau, apetail, Dom and DrinkBoy.

edit to add:

Re "Mojito" http://www.webtender.com/iforum/search.cgi?q=Mojito

Edited November 26, 2003 by beans (log)

[Susan in FL]

I love Mojitos, and my all time favorite is what I make at home using Sloppy Joe's recipe. I like this even better than what I had at Sloppy Joe's in Key West:

"1 lime, halved crosswise; 3 fresh mint sprigs; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 oz (2 tablespoons) white rum; 1/3 cup chilled sparkling water.

"Squeeze juice from both lime halves into a 12-ounce highball glass, then add lime halves. Add mint and sugar and crush mint with back of a spoon until sugar is dissolved. Add rum and stir. Add ice, then top off drink with sparkling water and stir well. Serves 1."

[Pumpkin Lover]

Going back to NYC for a sec: Angel's Share, on Stuyvesant St. (which is that itty bitty street near E. 9th and 3rd) makes a great mojito. They're famous for their lychee daiquiris and renditions on old-timey drinks like the Sidecar, but that mojito is really something.

Angel's Share

8 Stuyvesant St

New York, NY 10003

Cross Street: Between 9th Street and 3rd Avenue

The door to the bar is located within the Korean restaurant that the staircase leads to when you enter the building.

[anil]

In the past few days I have begun to see variations to classic Mojito - Flovored Mojito - Both OLA & Sabor were serving Mango Mojito I far this is because of the uninitiated asking for the flavored drinks.

[slkinsey]

New York Magazine has an bit on Mojito variations in NYC.

Libation's O'jito uses orange-flavored rum and muddled tangerines; King Size's Negril Sunset uses 126-proof Ray & Nephew rum and grapefruit soda; Odea's Lychee, Strawberry, Raspberry, and Apple Mojito includes a fresh fruit puree; Sly's Sly Honey Mojito uses honey-infused vodka and ginger ale; Soho 323's Pineapple Mojito includes muddled pineapple and brown sugar; Sutra's Holy Moses has citrus juices and tequila; and Cabana at the Maritime Hotel has a Frozen Mojito.

Hmm. . . Is the Mojito going to become the next cocktail for which the name of the drink begins to lose all meaning?

[little ms foodie]

We muddle mint with bakers sugar until dissolved, add lime and lemon juice, rum and some soda. Stir- preferrably with a piece of sugar cane. YUM.

We tried many mojitos while in Puerto Rico last Feb. I hope to one day have a proper mojito in Cuba.

edited to add that Barbecoa has the best mojitos in Seattle. and to say that we are making more tonight

Edited July 21, 2005 by little ms foodie (log)

[KOK]

We muddle mint with bakers sugar until dissolved, add lime and lemon juice, rum and some soda. Stir- preferrably with a piece of sugar cane. YUM.

We tried many mojitos while in Puerto Rico last Feb. I hope to one day have a proper mojito in Cuba.

←

A friend of mine who works with a guy from Cuba says they use aguardiente in Cuba (stated above in this thread). If you can get a bottle of that, or rhum agricole, your mojito's will be a bit more authentic (if your not doing that already : )

Thanks,

Kevin

[KatieLoeb]

New York Magazine has an bit on Mojito variations in NYC.

Thanks for the link, Sam. Those are some interesting variations. I appreciate the creativity that went into some of those concoctions. My concern, from a bar manager's perspective, would be that many of those drinks are too labor intensive and time consuming. And there's only so much stuff you can fit behind a bar. When you start needing 15 different ingredients outside of the standard items stocked behind a bar you get all sorts of issues like lack of space, waste from spillage and spoilage, etc. It becomes less cost effective.

Hmm. . . Is the Mojito going to become the next cocktail for which the name of the drink begins to lose all meaning?

I doubt it. Although much like anything in a birdbath glass becomes the something-or-other-INI these days, I suspect anything with some mint and lime could be called a mojito variant. But if it isn't a rum based drink, it just isn't a mojito or even a faux-jito. And rum just isn't as popular a spirit as vodka or gin, so I don't think it has the same potential to become as ubiquitous.

[slkinsey]

Thanks for the link, Sam.  Those are some interesting variations. I appreciate the creativity that went into some of those concoctions.  My concern, from a bar manager's perspective, would be that many of those drinks are too labor intensive and time consuming.  And there's only so much stuff you can fit behind a bar.  When you start needing 15 different ingredients outside of the standard items stocked behind a bar you get all sorts of issues like lack of space, waste from spillage and spoilage, etc.  It becomes less cost effective.

I suppose it depends on the place. It's quite impressive to see the bartenders at Flatiron Lounge knock out multiple-ingredient-with-fancy-garnish drinks (including flourishes like flamed citrus twists) in volume during the rush. Of course, good drinks don't have 15 different ingredients anyway, and I rather imagine that some of the places mentioned above are mixing some of their ingredients in batch.

Hmm. . . Is the Mojito going to become the next cocktail for which the name of the drink begins to lose all meaning?

I doubt it. Although much like anything in a birdbath glass becomes the something-or-other-INI these days, I suspect anything with some mint and lime could be called a mojito variant. But if it isn't a rum based drink, it just isn't a mojito or even a faux-jito. And rum just isn't as popular a spirit as vodka or gin, so I don't think it has the same potential to become as ubiquitous.

I don't think it will go as far as the Martini in losing meaning, but "Mojito = rum drink with mint" strikes me as a serious dilution of the meaning of Mojito. And look at the Daiquiri. Here is a very simple drink of white Cuban-style rum, lime juice and a touch of sugar. Now, who the hell knows what a Daiquiri is? Some kind of sweet frozen drink? If you served the average American a Daiquiri that was nothing more than 2 ounces of Havana Club, a half-ounce of lime juice and a teaspoon of simple syrup shaken with ice and strained into a cocktail glass, they would tell you it wasn't a Daiquiri (and don't even get me started on the typical "dack-uh-ree" pronunciation).

Note, by the way, that the Sly Honey Mojito above uses honey-infused vodka and ginger ale (and, based on the picture, mint).

[Ed Hamilton]

New York Magazine has an bit on Mojito variations in NYC.

Hmm. . . Is the Mojito going to become the next cocktail for which the name of the drink begins to lose all meaning?

←

Going to be? The profusion of drinks named 'fill-in-the-blank-ito' speaks for itself.

[KatieLoeb]

New York Magazine has an bit on Mojito variations in NYC.

Hmm. . . Is the Mojito going to become the next cocktail for which the name of the drink begins to lose all meaning?

←

Going to be? The profusion of drinks named 'fill-in-the-blank-ito' speaks for itself.

←

Hence my coining of the term "Faux-jito" above.

[eje]

My usual botany trivia post.

From what I've been able to find out, the mint properly used in Cuban Mojitos is Mentha nemorosa. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is supposedly the closest easily available garden mint.

Yerba Buena (Good Herb) seems to be a fairly non-specific name. Quite a few different plants in different parts of the world seem to have ended up being called Yerba Buena by Latin settlers or Spanish Missionaries. For example, in the Philipines, Mentha arvensis is called Yerba Buena. The original settlement in the area of the San Francisco, CA was called Yerba Buena after a native West Coast herb that wasn't even a mint (Satureja douglasii).

-Erik

[eipi10]

I'm not a big fan of cocktails, but mojitos can be delicious, much more than a cover for inferior spirits. The best I've ever had is from Chez Henri in Cambridge, MA. So much better than the norm. What makes it special:

Lots and lots of mint. Mint leaves line the entire glass, adding not just refreshing flavor but also a fresh appearance. What a gorgeous drink.

Granulated cane sugar. Sucking up these little bursts of crunchy flavor in a straw is wonderful.

Plenty of lime, with bits of pulp too--adding even more texture and freshness.

[Cachaca_Dave]

A cuban place by my office uses wine goblets for their mojitos - it has a great effect of keeping the mint from going into the straw because all of it seems to float to the sides and and around the ice layer. I really think it's the shape of the glass that causes this effect.

[Liz Johnson]

Perhaps it's a little unorthodox, but I've found that by muddling the mint in the rum, letting it infuse a little while and then straining it, I have a minty mojito without the mint leaves. Then I mix with lime juice, simple syrup and top with seltzer. I still use a mint sprig for garnish, which is enough to give me the nose I'm looking for.

I've also done this with lemon thyme gimlets: muddle thyme in gin and then strain and add lemon juice and simple syrup. (OK, not really a gimlet, but delicious nonetheless.)

[Alchemist]

So what's the authentic Mojito recipe?  As I understand it, it's just fresh squeezed lime juice, muddled with plenty of crushed mint leaves, sugar cubes, and rum.  Cuban rum would be the most authentic of course, but hard to come by in the US.  I'm assuming the proper rum substitute would be a light (white) Carribbean rum of some sort.  Also, maybe some sort of cane sugar water could replace the sugar, if one had access to such a thing.

Any words of wisdom from eGullet mojito experts?

←

Like all supurlitive cocktails, the Mojito is destined to spawn an armada of imatators. Soon there will be a Mo-hito (sic) (picture of Some famous Moe) on every tacky chain resturant menu from Long Island mega malls to strip malls in sunny Cali. There will be canned whip cream involved.

I used to be of the school of thought that it was best to grind, pulverise, and shred the mint almost into a paste. Then after trying the experment in Jigger, Beaker, and Glass, where Mr.Baker (One of the few that doesn't make his insurance companies dislike him) Instructs you to take a mint leaf and gently bite down on it and then grind it between gnashing molars. The difference is amazing.

So I now muddle the mint loveningly with demerara syrup instead of a sugar cube. Then add lime juice, rum( I really like Methusulm, it's cuban style, very dry) crushed Ice. Straw, and then a forest of spanked mint, to delight the olfatory sense, as well the tastebuds.

[slkinsey]

I gather that most everyone is simply building their mojitos in the glass?

I find that I get too many bits of stuff floating around that way, and I am not fond of straining lime pulp through my teeth. I like muddling lime halves; adding sugar, rum, and mint; shaking hard with a few big pieces of ice; double straining into the glass; adding a lime shell, fizz water and plenty of crushed ice; then sliding a few mint leaves down the sides, maybe adding a sprig on top.