Mojitos, with and without coconut

I have a glut of mint in my garden at this point, and I have been chopping it into green salads, tabouleh, and making tea from it. But, do you know why I really planted it in the beginning? It was for the mojtos. Think what you want, but I like my drinks to taste good before I cannot remember what day it is, and those mojito mixes at the grocery store taste like toothpaste. Gross. The good news is, mint is very hearty; it overwinters and requires no maintenance whatsoever in my northern Colorado garden. If you live in a harsher climate than mine (Wyoming and Montana friends), it is also happy to live in a pot on the windowsill.




Traditional mojito (measurements are for one drink)

1 generous handful of mint, including stems
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 shots rum

Toss mint and sugar into a shaker and pound vigorously with a wooden spoon. Beat that mint like you’re trying to murder it—and don’t be impatient. Then, add the rest of the ingredients plus a few cubes of ice and shake. You can garnish your drink with a sprig of mint of a lime slice if you want to take the time for that sort of thing …



Island mojito

This is a bastardization, but it’s delicious. Take the above recipe, cut the sugar to 2 teaspoons, and add in 1 generous shot of coconut cream, found in the “mixers” aisle in your grocery store. The resulting drink will be foamy and creamy and will have a nice hint of coconut to it.