Okay so I actually planned this post for earlier in the summer, a lot earlier but it's alway cocktail o'clock right? One of my absolute favourite drinks these days is a good ol' Mojito, whatever the flavour you just can't go wrong.
A lot of recipe ideas I get are inspired by something I've tasted before in a restaurant or bar and then tweak and recreate in my own home. This drink is one of those concoctions. At a local bar I experienced for the first time basil in a Mojito and it was a concept so foreign to me that I just had to do it for myself. If you're a bit of a thrill seeker or a cocktail lover then this is the drink for you.
Being a student I tend to just use what I have and on the lovely sunny day that my brain decided to crave Mojitos I had no rum *gasp* so I settled for vodka, and I'm ashamed to admit it wasn't even the good stuff. Buy whatever alcohol your budget allows but just remember your stomach won't be thanking you if you settle for paint stripper.
To make one generous glass you will need:
A handful of strawberries (or raspberries if you're a rule breaker)
7 leaves of fresh mint
7 leaves of fresh basil
soda water
alcohol (vodka or rum)
a lime
a tablespoon of sugar
ice (ice baby)
First off, I know these measurements sound a little vague but a lot depends on personal taste. Secondly, if you do decide that this drink is just so yummy it has to be shared, swap the glass for a large jug and multiply the ingredients as necessary. You should probably include enough so you can have an extra one, you did do all the hard work after all so it's only fair.
I like my drinks to be really packed with flavour, so if you're not so sure about the herbs or anything else, don't be afraid to cut back a little - that's how you make a recipe your own.
I like my drinks to be really packed with flavour, so if you're not so sure about the herbs or anything else, don't be afraid to cut back a little - that's how you make a recipe your own.
Smack the herbs in your hand (to release the oils) before adding to a large glass and muddling (basically smashing together) with the fruit, sugar and the juice of half a lime. You really want to release the oils from the herbs and the lovely fruity flavour so be vigorous! Once that's done fill the glass almost to the top with ice and pour in a generous slosh of alcohol (or if you want to be boring a standard shot).
The last step is to add a splash of soda water, I'm not quite sure why but it really does bring the whole drink together.
Best served on a sunny day with friends. Or conversely alone on a dark, dreary, depressing day with a box of tissues, a bar of Galaxy and The Notebook.
What cocktails are you enjoying this summer? Whether at a bar or at home, let me know!
What cocktails are you enjoying this summer? Whether at a bar or at home, let me know!
