Lemon Juice and Lime Juice Mojito Recipe and History of the Drink

The mojito, its origins and history

The mojito is possibly one of the most famous rum-based highballs on the planet. There are a wide variety of versions of the mojito being served up all over the world. We first encountered the mojito on one of our cruise ship vacations.  As I recall it was a “drink of the day”, and my wife tried one. She fell in love with them.

The birthplace of the mojito is generally accepted as being in Cuba.

Generally, Cuba is credited with being the birthplace of the mojito, but the origins of the drink are the subject of much debate. One story traces it to a 16th century drink, the “El Draque,” in named after Sir Francis Drake. It was made with tafia/aguardiente, a predecessor of rum. Mint, lime and sugar were probably used to hide the awful taste.

It’s believed by some that African slaves working in the Cuban sugar cane fields during the 19th century were partly responsible for the cocktail's original creation. Guarapo, the sugar cane juice sometimes used in the drink, was a popular drink enjoyed by the.

Although no one knows for sure, there are hints of where the name mojito originated. One theory is that the name came from mojo, a Cuban lime based seasoning, and another is that the name was derived from mojadito, Spanish for “a little wet”, or “mojo” which means wet.

Ingredients in the mojito

Mojitos are usually made from 5 ingredients including white rum, sugar from sugar cane juice, lime, carbonated water, and mint.  The combination of sweetness, the flavors of citrus, and mint mask well the kick of the rum, contributing the popularity of this popular refreshing drink.

To prepare a mojito, add lime juice to sugar and mint leaves, and then muddle the mixture gently with a muddler. (Muddling is the act of mashing the leaves like with a pestle in the bottom of the glass.) Don’t destroy the mint leaves; just bruise them to release the oils.  Then add rum and stir to dissolve the sugar and raise the mint leaves from the bottom for purposes of presentation.  Top the drink with sparkling water and garnish with mint leaves and lime wedges.

When preparing a mojito, lime juice is added to sugar (or syrup) and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and must not be shredded. Then rum is added and the mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint sprigs up from the bottom for better presentation. Finally, the drink is topped with ice cubes and sparkling water, and mint leaves and lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

In some places in Cuba, dark or golden rums are used along with brown sugar to create a stronger and heavier mojito.

Some versions add Ginger ale and carbonated water. Fruit flavored vodkas or rums are often substituted, such as mango, strawberry, lychee or mandarin. Sometimes lemon juice is added along with the lime juice.

Here are a few mojito recipes for you to try and possibly improve on.

Mojito Recipe # 1      Serves 4

4 cups crushed ice

6 ounces of light rum

12 mint leaves, 8 roughly torn

6 Tablespoons of fresh lime juice

4 Tablespoons of baker’s sugar

Club Soda

4 Lime Slices

Place torn mint leaves in a medium bowl with the sugar.  Mash with a wooden spoon.  Add rum and lime juice, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.  Strain mixture into a high ball glass filled with ice.  Top off with a splash of club soda.  Garnish each glass with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint.   Enjoy!

Mojito Recipe # 2

3 Dashes Angostura Bitters

2 Shots White Rum

1 Shot Lime Juice

Top up Soda

1 Teaspoon Sugar Syrup

Muddle the mint leaves in a glass with the sugar and lime juice to extract the mint oils. Fill glass with crushed ice and add the rum and Angostura, then top up with soda water and stir.

Mojito Recipe # 3

Lemon juice and lime juice mojito recipe

1 part Bacardi Limon Rum

3 parts Club Soda

12 mint leaves

1/2 lime

1/2 part sugar

Combine mint leaves, lime and sugar in a glass. Crush well with a pestle. Drink the mojito.