Blueberry Mojito (Original Recipe)

 

Again, it's not hard to make a simple modification to a classic cocktail and make it very impressive to your guests. Blueberry syrup gives a Mojito a kind of bramble quality with berry flavor and beautiful purple color. Otherwise this recipe remains true to the original with the exception of powdered sugar for the mint garnish. It's a New Orleans-style flourish that I do when I have the sugar handy.

• 2 oz. lightly aged rum (Rhum Barbancourt 4-year-old statemet used)
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. blueberry syrup
• club soda
  
• 10 mint leaves
• mint sprig garnish 

In a shaker tin, muddle 10 mint leaves in blueberry syrup. Add lime juice, rum and ice and shake. Pour into a Collins glass full of fresh ice and top with soda, stirring gently. Garnish with the mint sprig.

Mint Collins

I didn't realize that this cross between a Collins and a Mojito existed. My first inkling came when I made the Cool Collins, non alcoholic cocktail a week ago. The idea of muddling mint in lemon and sugar for a gin and soda drink was sound. Then I came across this recipe and had to do it. I also had to include the cherry--green--as a staple of most Collins everywhere.

• 3 oz. gin (Sunset Hills used)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 7 mint leaves 
• lemon slice
• sparkling water
• mint sprig

Add mint leaves, sugar and lemon juice to a Collinst glass and muddle gently to release mint essence. Add gin and ice and top with soda. Stir gently and garnish with the lemon slice and mint sprig. 

Mojito

For some reason the NY Bartender's Guide shows the Mojito double strained and served up. I've no doubt that this was the recipe ages ago. In fact, replace the club soda with sparkling wine and you have The Old Cuban, which is supposed to predate the Mojito.

Nowadays, though, all you see with a Mojito is a bunch of mint and lime in a Collins or pint glass. Do it like this for a more refreshing long drink.

Cruzan light rum is especially flavorful. They don't even make a distinction between their light and dark rums on the labels. Both are called "Aged Rum." There's plenty of sugar and vanilla flavor in these rums, unlike Bacardi, which is hotter and thinner on the palate.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 8-10 mint leaves
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• club soda
• dash Angostura bitters optional

 Muddle mint, sugar and lime juice in a shaker until mint is lightly macerated. Add ice and rum and shake. Pour into a pint or Collins glass. Top with soda and more ice if necessary. Dash angostura bitters on top. (Save some mint and a lime slice for garnishes.)