A lil sweet, or a lil spicy – taking a simple mojito to the next level

By: Nikia Wells

Walking down the streets of Havana, it is easy to marvel at the city, frozen in time. The colorful, retro muscle cars and decades old multi-story buildings are a reminder of the bustling days of a country that was once ahead of its time. A quick glance in any history book would fill in the blanks about Cuba’s past, but today their culture is still deeply intact. And, once upon a time at a bar along those same cobblestone streets, a man muddled fresh mint, lime juice and cane sugar with white rum and some club soda, to birth the refreshing magic that is the mojito – adding to the rich history of the country’s capital city. 

The exact location where the first mojito was made has long been debated, but when it comes to the crisp, sweet, and citrus infused cocktail, few would argue that it is not delicious. It also has the added benefit of being extremely easy to make. Some cocktail purists like to stick closely to the original recipe – if only swapping out white sugar for the brown, cane variety – but much like food, there are no rules in the at-home bar. 

Most fruits pair perfectly with the flavours of the mojito. Pineapples and berries are popular additions to be muddled along with the mint, sugar and limes. Canned guava (like the ones included in the Cuba themed Showman eBistro Box) can also add some local flavor, when the fruit isn’t in season. 

For daring drinkers who may have a bit of leftover jalapeno (also from the Cuba themed box), they can muddle a small piece of the pepper into the drink. But, be sure to not include the seeds, unless the drinker truly enjoys the heat!

When mixing up your next mojito, be open to trying something daring, fun or unexpected – you may just end up creating your new favorite cocktail.