Mojito

This refreshing cocktail tastes of lime and mint! Add a great rum, sugar and, club soda and, you’ll have all that you need for this classic Mojito.

The Mojito is popular!

A Mojito is a cocktail that brings happy memories with every sip! Those memories keep me warm on long winter days. I picture myself sitting at my favorite bar in the Caribbean soaking in the rays, watching the waves break and, digging my toes into the sand.

Ernest Hemingway loved Mojitos from his favorite bar in Cuba, La Bodeguita. He could be found at La Bodeguita on hot days, drinking a Mojito. On the wall in this tavern, you will find the famous quote “My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in El Floridita”, engraved by Hemingway himself.

Where did the Mojito come from?

The simple ingredients of a Mojito have a quite common theme in cocktail history, and it was initially used for medicinal purposes. In the 16th century, Sir Frances Drake was sailing in the Caribbean when his crew was afflicted with scurvy and dysentery.

Some accounts say that Drake was planning to pillage Cuba and was thwarted. There are enough conflicting accounts that no one is quite certain. We do know that his crew had scurvy and dysentery.

Sailors knew that the Islanders had remedies for tropical afflictions. Drake sent a small crew to the island. They came back with a very rustic type of rum, limes, mint leaves, and sugar cane juice.

If you use silver rum and add some club soda, you have a modern-day Mojito.

Where did the Mojito get its name?

It wasn’t called a Mojito in the 16th century. Sir Frances Drake called it “El Draque” after himself. The word “mojito” could have come from the Spanish Cuban word mojo which is a spice blend with lime added. Also, it could have come from the word mojar which means “to soften.”  Mojito could also come from mojitado which means “a little wet.”

No matter the name, it is a fabulous cocktail!