As one good friend of mine says: “First they try the eyes.” I hear this phrase from him quite often and not only about food, drinks, but also about women. He can try them, he is not married. And I apply his saying only to drinks.
Yesterday my wife asked me to make her a mojito. The matter is simple. I made it, poured it into an ordinary glass, and served it to my wife.
I have not seen such indignation for a long time – she wanted beauty in a glass, and not a simple drink. I added a lime wedge to the edge of the glass, and I myself wondered how else I could decorate the traditional mojito.
What is mojito
Mojito is a cocktail from the category of long drinks, its main ingredients are light rum and mint leaves. The International Bartending Association categorizes it as a “modern classic”.
It is believed that the predecessor of the mojito, called “drac”, was invented by the crew of the ship Francis Drake. They added mint and lime to rum, firstly, to prevent scurvy, and secondly, to “camouflage” the taste of low-quality alcohol.
The modern version of the cocktail comes from Cuba. From there he came to the USA, and from the 50s of the last century began his triumphal march around the world.
How to cook mojito
The classic recipe “documented” by the International Bartending Association:
- light rum Bacardi (40 ml);
- mint leaves (10-12 pieces);
- freshly squeezed lime juice (30 ml);
- brown sugar (2 teaspoons);
- soda;
- ice frappe (crumb or “shavings”).
The cocktail is prepared like this:
- Lightly crush the mint with sugar and juice right in the glass.
- Fill it with ice about a third, mix.
- Gradually pour in rum and soda, alternating with crushed ice.
Important! Bartenders recommend using mint leaves for mojitos. The stems give an unpleasant “herbal” aftertaste. You should not replace soda with tonic or Sprite.
Visually, the process of preparing several versions of mojito is presented in the video:
Which glass to take for a mojito
For mojitos, a highball is suitable, in which many other cocktails are served. This is a simple tall cylindrical glass.
Its volume ranges from 240-350 ml. The classic highball is 270 ml (9 oz).
Original “decor” for mojito
The classic decoration of a mojito is a circle of lime and a straw. Other options:
- Fruit on skewers. A combination of strawberries, kiwi, pineapples and lemon balm leaves will complement the taste of mojito well. Another suitable option is any citrus with cocktail cherries.
- “Twists” (thin spirals of citrus peel). To get them, you need to follow one, but very important rule: the vegetable cutter or knife is kept still, the fruit itself is twisted. To enhance the effect, you can wind the resulting “curl” on a pencil or cocktail tube. Several “twists” of different colors look spectacular, woven together and fixed with a skewer.
- “Sprinkling” from the zest. It must be cut into small circles (using a hole punch) or other figures. A glass of sugar – heat in a water bath until completely dissolved. Dip the zest into the syrup for 2-3 minutes, and then immediately put it on a baking sheet greased with butter and put in the oven, heated to 100 degrees. When the pieces are dry, you can take them out and sprinkle the drink on top.
- Colored ice. Not very suitable for a classic mojito, but very good for its strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and other “berry” versions. Freshly squeezed juice is mixed with water in a ratio of 2: 3, poured into molds and sent to the freezer. You can also pour water over mint leaves, the berries themselves.
- “Bouquet” of mint. A few leaves are simply collected together and placed on the surface of the cocktail, slightly pressing. Ice crumb will not allow the structure to fall apart.
- “Carved” figures from the zest. It must be cut as thinly as possible, without white pulp. With a sharp knife with a thin blade, flowers, butterflies, feathers, birds are cut out – everything that has enough imagination and creativity. Finished figures are put on skewers and decorate the drink.
- “Smoking” mojito. Looks very impressive. The cocktail is prepared in a large punch bowl, then dry ice is added to it. The drink begins to hiss, boil and smoke.
There are many ways to decorate a mojito. But even the most original decor will not “save” an incorrectly prepared cocktail.
Mojito has been popular for decades. By preparing this cocktail yourself and serving it to friends, for greater effect, it is quite possible to show your creativity and decorate glasses with a drink.
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!
What do you think? Does mojito need additional “decor”? Or is a cocktail prepared according to the classic recipe completely self-sufficient?