In the Heat of the Night...A Mojito for Two

By Terry Dagrosa, SeductionMeals.com

In the heat of night spice up your moment of seduction with a rum-based romantic rendezvous. You can start by toasting with two tall glasses of Mojitos. Next serve up a meal of jazzy mango chicken wings, and your favorite side dish. End the night with a light, enticing bowl of lemon sorbet, topped with a mint sprig.

A mojito is traditionally made of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime, carbonated water and mint. When preparing a mojito, lime juice is added to sugar (or syrup) and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and must not be shredded. Then rum is added and the mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint sprigs up from the bottom for better presentation. Finally, the drink is topped with ice cubes and sparkling water, and mint leaves and lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

Cuba is the birthplace of the Mojito, although the exact origin of this classic cocktail is the subject of debate. One story traces the Mojito to the 16th century when the cocktail was known as "El Draque," in honor of the English Explorer and Trader Sir Francis Drake. If this is indeed true, the Mojito could be considered as the world's first cocktail. The Mojito was made with "tafia," a primitive predecessor of rum, with the other ingredients used to hide the harsh taste. The drink improved substantially in the 19th century, with the introduction of copper stills and the aging process that led to the modern form of rum. Some insist the Mojito's name comes from mojo, a Cuban seasoning made from lime and used to flavor dishes. Perhaps as a reference to its lime ingredient, the drink became known as the cocktail with 'a little mojo' - in Spanish, 'mojito'.  (source: wikipedia)

mojito
recipe for 1 mojito
 

• 1 1/2 oz. Mount Gay Rum Eclipse Silver
• 12 fresh spearmint leaves
• 1/2 lime
• 2 tbsp. simple syrup (or 4 tsp. sugar)
• Top off with club soda
• Garnish: lime wedge and sprig of mint

 
Muddle mint leaves and lime in tall glass.  Cover with simple syrup and fill glass with ice; add Rum and club soda; stir well.  Garnish glass with lime wedge and sprigs of mint.