Mojito

You make a mojito by muddling mint, sugar and lime juice together, filling the glass with ice and then adding rum and soda. That is the order that the IBA, the International Bartenders Association, prescribes in its official specification. The IBA counts the mojito in the category Contemporary Classics.

The proportions according to the IBA: 45 ml white Cuban rum, 20 ml fresh lime juice, six sprigs of mint, two teaspoons of white cane sugar and sparkling water to top up. First you mix the mint with sugar and lime juice, then a splash of soda goes in and you fill the glass with ice. Only then follow the rum and the rest of the soda, with a gentle stir to mix everything.

Press the mint down gently. Crushing the leaves produces shreds in the glass and bitter notes from the veins.

The mojito comes from Cuba, but the exact origin is not known. According to Difford’s Guide, reference is often made to the Draque, a drink of aguardiente de caña, sugar, lime and mint. That name is said to recall the visit of Sir Francis Drake to Havana in 1586.

Bacardi writes that the Draque would be the earliest version of the mojito, and that the aguardiente was later replaced by white rum, after founder Don Facundo Bacardí started with rum in 1862. The first known written recipe, as Mojo Criollo, appears according to Difford’s Guide in a Cuban cocktail book from 1927.

Two explanations exist for the name: the Spanish verb mojar, to wet, or the African word mojo, which has to do with enchantment. The story that bar La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana served the first mojito is called an urban myth by Difford’s Guide.

You serve a mojito in a tall glass, such as a highball glass or a collins glass. The IBA names no glass type in its specification, but the 1931 and 1932 menu of Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Havana, according to Difford’s Guide, already prescribed: serve in a highball glass with ice. A tall glass gives room to the ice, the mint and the soda.

For the rum, the IBA asks for white Cuban rum. White rum is clear and lets the mint and lime come first. A dark or spiced rum changes the cocktail greatly. Bacardi uses its white rum in its own mojito recipe, with the same build: lime and sugar in the glass, mint added, crushed ice, rum and a splash of soda.

You make a strawberry mojito, also called mojito strawberry, by muddling a few fresh strawberries together with the mint, the sugar and the lime juice. After that you simply follow the classic recipe: ice, white rum and sparkling water on top.

Because strawberries are sweet themselves, you can start with a little less sugar or sugar syrup and adjust at the end. Cut the strawberries into pieces so they release their juice more easily. Half a strawberry on the rim of the glass, next to the sprig of mint, shows at once what is in it.

The same method works with raspberries or other soft fruit. It then remains a variation on the mojito; the IBA specification only covers the classic version with mint and lime.

You make an alcohol-free mojito, also called a virgin mojito, by leaving out the rum and topping up the glass with sparkling water. The mint, lime juice, sugar and crushed ice stay exactly the same, and the method does not change either.

Without rum, part of the volume drops out. Make that up with extra soda, or with a neutral ginger ale if you would like a bit more spice. Ready-made mojito syrup, a sugar syrup flavoured with mint and lime, speeds up the work: a splash of syrup, fresh lime juice, mint and soda. Check the label to see whether the syrup itself is alcohol-free.

The alcohol-free version is a good choice for anyone who is driving, or for a party where not everyone drinks alcohol.

At ’t Bockje there are currently 22 bottles of white rum, so there is plenty of choice for the base of the mojito. A well-known name is Bacardi Rum Carta Blanca, the white rum from the house that gives the mojito a place in its own history.

In addition, Ron Barceló Blanco, Bayou White and Bootz Dark White are on the shelf, among others. The staff will gladly tell you what the differences between these rums are. Fresh mint, limes and sparkling water you can simply get from the greengrocer or the market.

Not sure which rum suits your taste, or do you want several bottles at once for a party? Just call or come by ’t Bockje at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.