National Mojito Day – A Cool Summer Recipe!

National Mojito Day is July 11 which, this year, falls on a Saturday! Talk about convenient, right?

What is a Mojito?

A little background in case you’re unfamiliar, a Mojito is a cocktail that is made with some simple ingredients! White rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and very importantly… mint!

The history of a Mojito is somewhat contested but all signs point to it originating in Cuba.  So, whatever it’s true origin story is, I’m all here for the deliciousness of the Mojito.  This tangy but sweet drink is so refreshing on a hot summer day.  It’s no wonder National Mojito Day falls in the middle of summer.

From our home to yours…

I have to admit, I am not the bartender of the house; my husband is, and he makes the best mojitos.  I would definitely say it’s one of his best drink recipes so I turned to the expert for this recipe and had him teach me.

To start off our recipe for the best National Mojito Day recipe, and hopefully, your new favorite recipe, gather those Mojito ingredients I mentioned before. We get most of our ingredients from Total Wine and Publix.

If you’re lucky enough to have a mint plant, you can grab some mint straight from there. If you don’t, look into some of my previous gardening tips because mint plants are such easy herbs to grow in the ground or in containers.  They have so many great uses too!

Traditional Mojito Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce fresh lime juice (Fresh lime juice is preferred but if that’s not available, use sweetened lime juice. We love Rose’s.)
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves
• 2 ounces light rum (we always choose Bacardi)
• 3 to 4 ounces chilled club soda

Steps:

1. At the bottom of a highball or other tall glass, bring together the lime juice, sugar, and mint leaves.
2. Then, muddle together until the sugar is dissolved. If you don’t have a muddler (see photo) you can use a thick wooden spoon or pestle. 
3. Next, add the rum!
4. Fill the glass with ice as desired and then top it off with your club soda.
5. Take a sip and enjoy!

This recipe is per person so make sure to double it up if you will be making multiple and split the mint leaves into the glasses so everyone gets to enjoy the full experience!

Pair up your Mojito with some seafood or even some paella this National Mojito Day for the ultimate celebration, and a true Caribbean feel.   Whether or not this was Hemingway’s favorite drink, it definitely is one of mine.  How will you be enjoying your National Mojito Day?!  Let us know in the comments and remember to always drink responsibly!