Mojito

Ingredients

• 12 leaves mint
• 1 lime
• 2 fl oz clear rum
• 4 fl oz club soda
• 1 oz sugar syrup

Directions

1. Start by making some simple syrup. Put equal parts sugar and water into a pot and cook it on high (stirring the whole time) until it dissolves together (you do not want it boiling!). You can also use granulated sugar but just make sure that it is well dissolved before serving. There is nothing worse than a crunchy mojito! Alternatively, forego the simple syrup and use guarapo (sugar cane juice) instead for a more natural and less sweet flavor.
2. Make sure you have a good muddler, a sturdy glass and a shaking tin for muddling and mixing the drink. The cocktail's success depends on the blending of the lime and mint flavors.
3. Use a good light rum. You will also need fresh limes, mint, soda water and sugar. Brown sugar or simple syrup can be substituted for refined sugar.
4. Cut the limes into quarters and pick the mint leaves off of the stems. For eight mojitos you will need a generous bowl of mint and eight limes, one per drink.
5. Muddle a generous pinch of mint and about three lime wedges in the bottom of a tall mojito glass, cocktail shaker, or a mixing receptacle. If using granulated sugar, also muddle the sugar with the mint and lime to extract the lime's essential oils. When the ingredients are well pulverized, add ice to fill the glass.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of your simple syrup (equivalent to 1 oz). Fill the glass with about 2 ounces of rum with the ice, the glass should appear about 3/4 of the way full.
7. Shake or stir the mixture until fully blended. Fill the remainder of the pint glass with soda water. Another option is to transfer the shaken cocktail to another glass to serve since the muddled lime and mint often stick in the bottom of the glass.
8. Garnish with a lime wedge, a mint sprig, a sugar cane swizzle stick, or all three.