The Cocktail Napkin - Mojitos

A beautiful Fallon spring day has a way of inspiring amusing, playful and refreshing thoughts.  The temperatures are warming and the weather just seems to call us outside.  Leave the cabin fever of winter behind, come out and have some fun in the sunshine. And then, when some of that fun makes you thirsty, try a Mojito as a refreshing way to quench that thirst.

The basic ingredients of a Mojito (pronounced mo-Hee-toe) are rum, limes, mint, simple syrup and club soda.  However, this is one of those cocktails that can be spun into so many varieties – and that's where some of the fun comes in.  But first, as is a Cocktail Napkin tradition, a little history...

Did you know that the Mojito originated in Cuba, and is one of that country's oldest cocktails?  It's probably no surprise though, as Cuba is famous for its rum.  The word Mojito actually has its origins in the African word “mojo”, which means magic spell. And depending on how strong you make your Mojito, you might just be able to cast a little spell. The term “mojo” is also used to describe good or bad circumstances, as in “That's some bad mojo right there”, or “They've got some good mojo on that team”.

According to Miriam Webster, the drink’s roots can be traced back to 1586 when  Francis Drake and his pirates attempted to take over Havana for its gold. As that story goes, the invasion was unsuccessful.  But, Richard Drake, one of the pirates, was said to have invented a mojito-like cocktail that he called El Draque that was made with aguardiente (a crude forerunner of rum), sugar, lime and mint.  If they couldn't get the gold, why not get the rum, right?  Other stories say that slaves working in Cuban sugar cane fields in the late 19th century invented the mojito as a way to quench their thirst from working in those fields.

In the mid-1800s the recipe was altered and gained in popularity when the original Bacardi Company was established. Then in 1940, the Cuban playwright and poet Federico Villoch proclaimed: ``When aquardiente was replaced with rum, the Draque was to be called a Mojito.’‘  And so the drink became officially known as the Mojito.

Fortunately for us, we can just enjoy the refreshing combination of flavors in this cocktail without really having to steal or work for it.  At the Tea Room, we start with a basic recipe, and from there also serve up some flavor combinations as alternatives.  Make a flavor suggestion beyond what we have on our menu and we'll happily craft that cocktail just for you too.

Mojito Ingredients – Basic Recipe:

Preparation:

Mojito Variations:

Any way you do make them, sip and enjoy responsibly... Ciao