According to the legend told by the late Angel Martinez, the origins of the Mojito derive from a drink made of sugar cane-sweetened water spiked with unrefined rum that was consumed by slaves in Cuba in the late 19th century.
By the early 20th century, the story goes, the Mojito came into its own in Cuba as a popular drink at the Playa de Marianao, a working-class beach in a borough of Havana.
International acclaim for the cocktail emerged after 1946, the year that Mr. Martinez opened La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana and started to serve Mojitos endorsed by Ernest Hemingway, attracting the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Pablo Neruda, Nat King Cole, and Errol Flynn, among others.
Today, La Bodeguita is a major tourist destination (tourist trap, according to this article), has even spawned a copycat in Palo Alto, California.
I like to make my Italian Mojito by muddling a substantial amount of Basil leaves (5 to 10, depending on their size, though I don't think I've ever used too much Basil leaves and Lemongrass) with two teaspoons of sugar (a mortar and pestle will also work for this step).
The important thing is to grind the sugar into Basil leaves and Lemongrass so that the granules are completely incorporated and dissolved within the Basil and Lemongrass and its juices. This will form a sort of paste of Basil, Lemongrass and sugar. Combine with the juice of one lime and the leftover lime, cut into quarters. Add two ounces of white rum.
I like to use Marti Autentico Licor de Ron, Cuban-style white rum that is flavored with lime and mint, that’s why I made the twist without the mint leaves as they are already added here in the liquor. I add San Pellegrino water instead of the Club Soda, crushed ice, and shake in a cocktail shaker.
Garnish with a sprig of lime, Basil and Lemongrass or even Mint.
Now without further due, let’s make this Mojito twist my way and let’s drink responsible ok?
For the simple syrup...
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup chopped Basil leaves, loosely packed
1/4 cup lemon grass, chopped, outer stalks removed first
For the cocktail...
1 Liter Marti Autentico Licor de Ron, Cuban-style, chilled (in absence of Marti Autentico Licor de Ron, Cuban-style you can use Grey Goose)
1 bottle Pellegrino mineral water or seltzer or club soda, chilled herb-infused simple syrup from above.
1 lime, cut into quarter wedges, then cut in half again (or 1 lemon, cut similarly)
1 bunch, approximately half cup, clean Basil leaves, coarsely chopped (leave some whole if you want to add some drama to the glass!)
Crushed ice
For the garnish
Lime wedges, inner stalk of lemon grass as a swizzle, Basil leaves left whole or mint like I said before.
1. To make the herb-infused syrup place the sugar and herbs in a mortar and mix the sugar with the juices, let it rest. Then add the whole after 15 minutes to the water in a pot over medium heat, stir till sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Stir in the Basil leaves, and lemon grass.
Bring back to a boil and cook for approximately a minute. Turn heat down to simmer, and allow herbs to infuse the syrup for approximately twenty minutes. Turn off heat, and allow steeping for at least an hour. Taste. If the syrup doesn't taste properly infused, then bring back to a boil, and repeat.
Be careful not to over boil as the syrup will turn bitter. Set aside and allow cooling.
2. In bottom of a rocks glass place coarsely chopped Basil leaves. Put lime (or lemon) wedges on top of leaves and pour in one jigger (approximately two ounces) of the simple syrup. Using a wooden spoon, the palm end of a hand-held citrus juicer, or even the bottom of a small shot glass; mash the lime and leaves so that the oils and juice are released from both. You should have a nice pulpy mess in the bottom of the glass when you're finished.
3. Add to the glass one jigger of mineral water or soda water. Add a few pieces of crushed ice. Stir.
4. Top with one jigger of Marti Autentico Licor de Ron, Cuban-style or the replacement killer I suggested. Stir well. Garnish with lime (or lemon,) a thin stalk of lemon grass as a swizzle, and a few whole leaves of the Basil leaves. Enjoy!
NOTES: While I used mineral water, I think seltzer or club soda might have actually been better as their higher sodium content would have mixed well with the peppery nature of the Basil leaves and the slight sting of the lemon grass in the simple syrup. Either way, the effervescence gave nice buoyancy to all of the ingredients. Of course I wanted to make it Italian.
I called this an Italian Mojito because of the similarities in their means of preparation, not because of similarities in ingredients.
With our warmest culinary regards.
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