The Cuban Welcome Drink: The Mojito

The Mojito

I've just returned from a week in Cuba as part of the NC State University Wolftrek People to People trip, and this is the first of a number of posts I'll be doing on this blog about the trip.  

We were almost always welcomed at restaurants,  hotels and other places of interest with a drink, and it was often the Mojito.  I found this recipe that is supposedly the recipe that Hemingway enjoyed at the Mojito's place of birth, La Bodeguita del Medio.

We made a quick pass by La Bodeguita del Medio, but weren't able to have a drink or a meal there. 

The Bar

Mojito Recipe Ingredients:

1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
4 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint
Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)
2 ounces club soda

Place the mint leaves into a tall glass and squeeze the juice from a cut lime over it. You'll want about two ounces of lime juice, so it may not require all of the juice from a single lime.

Add the powdered sugar, then gently smash the mint into the lime juice and sugar with the back of a spoon. Add ice, then add the rum and stir, and top off with the club soda (you can also stir the club soda in as per your taste). Garnish with a mint sprig. Serves 1.

Here's a video showing how to make a Mojito.