The Mojito is one of the most popular classic cocktails around the world! So, you will be pleased to know that you have the perfect excuse to enjoy a few Mojitos on National Mojito Day!
The Mojito is a conventional Cuban highball! It consists of white rum, mint, sparkling water, lime juice, and sugar. However, there have been a lot of different variations on the classic drink, with people adding different fruits, such as strawberry and mango mojitos. Some people also enjoy sparkling mojitos, finishing their drink with a splash of champagne! You can certainly have a lot of fun experimenting.
History Of National Mojito Day
A lot of people know the Mojito as being the favorite drink of famous author Ernest Hemingway. But, where did it all begin for this tasty cocktail? The birthplace of this refreshing drink in Havana, Cuba. Nevertheless, there has been a lot of debate about the exact origin of the drink! It’s known that local South American Indians had cures for several different tropical illnesses. So, a small boarding group went to Cuba, coming back with ingredients for medicine. They included local tropical ingredients – mint, sugarcane juice, and lime – as well as a crude form of rum, which was known as aguardiente de caña. That translates to burning water! While this drink was not known as a mojito at the time, it included a combination of the ingredients that we have come to associate with the drink.
Some historians believe the cocktail’s origin owes a lot to African slaves who were working in the sugar cane fields in Cuba during the 19th century. The sugar cane juice called Guarapo is often found in mojitos, and this was popular amongst African slaves at the time.
In terms of the name mojito, there is also a lot of confusion and theories about where it stemmed from! Some people believe that it is merely a derivative of the Spanish word for ‘a little wet’ – mojadito. There are then others who think that name relates to mojo, which is a Cuban seasoning that is made from lime and used to flavor dishes.
How to celebrate National Mojito Day
Here’s how you can celebrate National Mojito Day with Belize’s homegrown award-winning rums by Travellers Liquors.
Classic Mojito
The classic mojito is bright, refreshing, and easy to make at home.
Directions
In a glass, muddle lime juice with 1/2 to 1 tsp—superfine sugar—to your sweetness. Add the mint leaves, mushing them against the side of the glass. Fill glass 2/3 with cracked ice and pour the rum over the top, followed by the squeezed-out lime shell. Top off with club soda or seltzer.
Make your own version of a mojito. We have given you the classic recipe for a mojito, but why not spice things up with your own creation? There have been so many exciting and delicious variations of the Mojito, so you’re bound to have lots of fun experimenting with different ingredients and flavors.
Source: Days of the Year
