You will need:
Limes: if you are using Key Limes, use 4 per glass, if you are using
conventional limes, use 1 ½ large limes per glass.
Sugar: don’t bother with fancy measurements, a good soup spoon full of
organic cane sugar will do.
Rum: pour in a good ounce or so of quality dark rum, like Venezuelan
Cacique. Do not pay attention to those who say that light rum has to
be used in a mojito- it is simply not true.
Ice: a few cubes
Mint: use about 2 leaves of mint per glass, roughly torn up.
Sparkling water: just use enough to top off the glass.
How to:
Slice the limes in half, and into quarters if large enough. Use a citrus juicer or your hands to squeeze the lime juice directly into the glasses. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add a few of the lime rinds to the glass and use the back of the spoon to grind the rinds and extract some of the essential oils. Pour in the rum and stir well.
Tear up the herbs and add to the glass. Stir in the ice.
Top off with a dash of sparkling water and serve right away.
Basil Cucumber Mojito:
Instead of using mint leaves, use 1 large leaf of fresh sweet basil. Tear it up roughly and add to the drink.
Peel a cucumber and cut it in half horizontally. Thinly slice it lengthwise into long strips. Add to the glass and stir it around, before topping off with the sparkling water.
