I know I don't have the best picture of this drink, but there's nothing with an "action" picture, right?
A common misconception is people thinking in order to make a drink, you simply pour, stir, and drink. I never try to complicate things. I'm just trying to do things correctly. That way, you get the full experience. The aromatics, the balance of flavors, and all of the other unnecessary ways to articulate enjoying a drink. Moving along... here is what I do when making a good mojito:
Ingredients:
Fresh Mint
2 T Fresh Lime Juice
2 oz Coconut Rum
6 oz Blood Orange Soda
Ice
In a bottom of your glass, add your mint. A couple of leaves are fine. Use the handle of a wooden or plastic spoon, and muddle the herb gently at the bottom of your glass. Add your lime juice.
Hopefully you have a cocktail shaker of some sort. Add your ice, rum, and blood orange soda. Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds. Add everything into your glass.
Have you ever gone to a bar or restaurant, and noticed a bunch of shredded mint floating around your glass? That means the bartender added mint to the cocktail shaker, and didn't know wtf he/she was doing. Don't add mint to your cocktail shaker. We want the cocktail to have some dignity.
Finally, everything is added. The colors are sort of blending together. The mint is floating, but under the ice. Take a mint leaf, twist it a bit, and give it a cruse around the rim of your glass. This will add an aromatic to your cocktail, so you get the full experience of mint. When garnishing with mint, take a few of the prettiest mint leaves you can find, and with your thumb nail, which I know is extremely clean, clip the mint leaf as close to the stem as possible. This will prevent it from oxidizing, and maintaining it's elegance. Ok, mint isn't THAT special, but serving a beautiful drink that tastes just as good, is important.
What are some of your favorite cocktails to make? Be sure to share some pictures of them on Facebook!
Enjoy!
Amber~
