A refreshing combination of mint, lime and light rum, you really can’t go wrong with a mojito on a hot summer day.    Sweetened by sugar or simple syrup and topped off with club soda, the flavors meld beautifully in this smooth, subtly sweet drink.

With a potted mint plant that’s growing like crazy, making mojitos seemed like a good way to put some of it to use.  I followed a drink recipe from Barcardi and was quite pleased with the results.  Muddling, the process of combining ingredients by pressing them together with a muddler, is the most important step in creating this drink.  I used a wooden spoon’s large handle in place of the muddler to press the mint, sugar and lime together –  you want to combine the ingredients and lightly bruise the mint leaves so they’ll release their oils.

Pick some leaves off your mint plant or grab a bunch of mint from the grocery store and whip up this refreshing drink today!

Basic Mojito
Yields 1 drink

1.5 oz light rum
10-12 fresh spearmint leaves
1/2 lime, cut into 2 wedges
7 oz club soda
4 tsp sugar or 2 tbsp. simple syrup
crushed ice

1. Lightly squeeze lime wedges into a tall glass. Add lime wedges and mint leaves to glass and muddle. Pour in sugar or simple syrup.
2. Fill glass with crushed ice.
3. Add rum and club soda, stirring gently to combine all flavors. If desired, garnish with lime and sprig of mint.