By: Jasmyn Brown 

Hey everyone! 

Okay, so this blog post is a pretty cool one because we're talking about cocktails and specifically... MOJITOS (My all-time favorite cocktail, Mango flavored to be exact.)! 

A nice and smooth drink, Mojitos just set it off for me. Not too strong, not too sweet. The one I had had the perfect combo of liquor and sweetness. Neither flavor overpowered the other and I also caught a little buzz. 😎 

Me? Turning down a drink? HA! Neverrrrrr. 

Another (One) History Lesson on the Origin of Mojitos!:

Let me give you the 'deets.

Mojitos were born in Havana, Cuba! 🇨🇺 However, there are theories that the Mojito was either originated by local South American Indians, the US Marine Corps, or African slaves while working in Cuba's sugar cane fields in the late 1800s.

Orrrr, it could have possibly been discovered by a descendent of "El Draque", which is Sir Francis Drake's nickname in Spanish. He was an English admiral who circumnavigated the globe and was the most renowned seaman of the Elizabethan Age. He discovered that Tierra del Fuego, the land south of the Magellan Strait, was a group of islands. The Europeans thought it was a continent. Ships could sail between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans around the bottom of South America (now known as the Cape Horn route). 

Get a load of this fly guy.

Mojitos are perfect for long summer days and hot nights. It consists of rum, mint, lime, sugar, sparkling soda, and loads of ice. It became popular in 1930 before it took the world by storm! Mojitos soon became one of the world's most famous cocktails. Nobel Prize winner and novelist Ernest Hemingway enjoyed Mojitos! He boosted Mojitos' popularity to where it is today. 

I believe that another reason why Mojitos are really popular because of how simple it is. Simplicity goes a long way! Secondly, you can use fresh ingredients!

The Bacardi Mojito is the OG Mojito! To make yours, you'll need:

• 12 mint leaves
• 15 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 heaped teaspoons of caster sugar 
• Crushed ice
• 10 ml Bacardi Superior rum
• Splash of soda water
• A sprig of mint (for garnish!)

Of course, there's a method for making the perfect Bacardi Mojito (or any Mojito)! Here are the steps:

• First, slap the mint leaves to release the flavor, then rub them around the edge of a tall glass. Tear them once and drop them in the glass.
• Next, pour over the lime juice and caster sugar. Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice, then churn with a teaspoon to dissolve the sugar. 
• Then, fill the entire glass with more ice and add the Bacardi Superior rum, a splash of soda, and a stir with a teaspoon to distribute the mint. 
• Finally, garnish with a mint sprig and voila! 

Ya see this? Mmm, mmm, mmm!

But of course, you can do your own tips and tricks on preparing your Mojito! Dress it up, make it fancy, do your thing, sis!

I tried my first Mojito at this restaurant where I live called Houlihan's. It was mango flavored. 🥭 Personally, I learned that just straight, hard liquor is not my forté and fruity, cute drinks are my wave (I also love red wines, but I'll tell y'all about that later)! 

This is a picture of my Mango Mojito from Houlihan's! Though it looks like just a regular one, it tasted just like Mango! I can't wait until COVID's over... I'm going to Happy Hour and treating myself. 🎉 

Y'know I was going to follow up with some food! Here's a video of my Mom and I's dishes from Houlihan's! 

There are so many flavors to choose from:

• Mexican Mojito - tequila instead of rum 🍹
• Virgin Mojito - no alcohol!
• Dirty Mojito, with dark spiced rum, brown sugar, and key limes 
• English Mojito, with gin and sprite instead of rum and soda (sometimes they also add cucumber) 🥒
• Mojito Royal, with Champagne as a substitute for soda (not for rum!)
• Greek Mojito, with Metaxa
• Malibu Mojito, which is coconut flavored 🥥
• Lychee Mojito, with canned lychees from China or Thailand
• Pomegranate Mojito, with pomegranate juice
• Mango Mojito and the list goes on and on! 

So y'know what you have to do now, right? Create your mojito and tell me what ingredient you used! Let's unwind!

Cheers 🥂,

Jazz