Summer cocktails: Mojito – say it with an accent and you sound like a pro

I'm sorry for the James Bond references, but the first time I'd ever heard of this drink was when Pierce Brosnan was drinking it whilst priming Halle Berry in Die Another Day. I tell you what, she looked hot for 35. Since then, this drink has become so popular it's on just about every cocktail menu in Brisbane. And rightly so; what a lovely, refreshing drink with a subtle rum kick … if you make it right.

 

Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of Bacardi

The mojito originated in Cuba, though it's not certain when. The ingredients were originally added to mask the flavour of the rum, interestingly, rather than create a drink for the purpose of refreshment. Since the 1650s when it is thought the drink was first made, our distilling processes are markedly better and now one can enjoy a clean, crisp rum taste. Ernest Hemingway was a big fan of the mojito, as well as famously, the daiquiri.

Nowadays, using white rum instead of dark means the rum is sweet and mellow (i.e. there's not much flavour apart from the sugarcane, but still very alcoholic). Because white rum isn't aged in wooden barrels (or at least is filtered afterwards), you don't get that really strong molasses-caramel flavour you do with dark rum. Therefore here is my number one tip: never make a mojito with dark rum!

Bacardi is synonymous with mojitos, mainly just because it used to be Cuban (it's now made in Puerto Rico; it's not even sold in Cuba as Bacardi). They even had a TV ad on how to make one using Bacardi. However at the moment I'm enjoying a great bottle of Mount Gay white rum from Barbados – the difference is probably negligible, but it's really smooth and sweet. The new Bundaberg Five white rum would be good too, though I've not tried it. Thing is, you can use almost any white rum, because there isn't much difference in the distilling process between brands because they're generally not aged in oak – it's only purity you need worry about. As long as you spend about $30-40 AUD on a bottle you'll be right, and that should last you a while.

Lime, mint and sugar: the taste of the Carribbean

Now that there's not the strong aftertaste of dark rum to contend with, these flavours stand out as key ingredients rather than just masking the alcohol. The sugar goes with the rum, the lime gives it a citrus tang, and the mint just freshens the whole drink up. Basically you're adding flavour to a strong alcohol base.

Every purist will tell you you've got to use raw sugar because it tastes like the old days. And whilst that's probably true, it just doesn't dissolve particularly well. Even caster sugar's a bit tricky at times. Whilst I love using solid sugar, most of the time I just use gomme (a sugar syrup), because it dissolves instantly. You can buy this in a bottle or make it yourself (two parts sugar to one part water).

The lime juice has to be fresh – that I can't argue with. But it's not only lime juice that is required; the oils from the skin and even some bitterness from the pith has to be extracted to counter the sweetness of the sugar. Therefore, whole lime wedges must be 'muddled' (basically crushed) in order to extract all these juices and flavours.

Mint is a bitch to grow in your garden. I had a really strong mint plant once, only for a caterpillar to eat ALL the leaves. The Foodie had an even bigger stash, and more than one style – his dogs took care of that. So, in short, you'll probably need to buy mint with big leaves. The big leaves are important because if they get ripped by the muddling process, then they'll just turn into a regular size rather than getting mashed into annoyingly tiny pieces, going up the straw and clogging it. You'll also need a good stalk with a few leaves on it for the garnish. Tip number two – don't get your hands all over the mint – that's what the muddling stick is for!

How do they do it?

Peculiar to the mojito is the 'muddling' process. This basically means going at the ingredients with the end of a rolling pin to get at all the goodness inside of them. I'll tell you how to do it below.

Another interesting part of a mojito is the splash of soda water on top. I really don't see the attraction of using a premium sparkling water like San Pellegrino, because there's really not very much of it in the drink, so why bother? They do have smaller bubbles than the budget brands, but nowadays budget brands are generally pretty good, so it's completely up to you.

A final note, the ice must be crushed – this makes the drink cool down faster, and makes it easier to stir and drink. I think it's a bit of a historical protocol too.

The Drunkard's refreshing mojito

Take about 6-8 large mint leaves (8-10 if they're smaller) and place them in the bottom of a tall (Collins) glass (about 330-360mL capacity). Cut half a lime into 4 wedges and drop these on top of the mint. Add two bar spoons (about two heaped teaspoons) of sugar or 15mL gomme/sugar syrup in the glass.

Using a muddling stick or rolling pin, press down firmly but carefully on the ingredients – strong enough to squeeze the juice and essential oils out of the lime, but be careful not to tear the mint up. The muddling process will be complete when the sugar is (mostly) dissolved and all the juice is extracted.

Add crushed ice all the way to the top of the glass. Add two shots (60mL or so) of white rum. If you're not measuring, fill it with about an inch of space at the top of the glass. Using a bar spoon and holding a napkin over the top of the glass, stir the ingredients from the bottom to the top and mix the drink. Add more crushed ice to the top again and a splash of soda water.

Take a stalk of mint with several leaves on it (about 8-10cm in length). Put it in one hand and clap it with the other to release the smell of the mint. Place in the drink next to the straw with a lime wedge sitting on top. This is because when you take a drink, you will smell the mint and a bit of the lime (your nose can detect 10,000 tastes whereas your tongue only 10).

Et voila! A refreshing cocktail to be enjoyed by the pool, at the barbeque, in the living room, or en masse in the Valley.