Mojito, Joe.

Well, it's been a few days since I posted one of these things. Summer has many more attractions than my desk! However, I decided to whip up a batch of Cuban Black Beans yesterday, and this naturally got me thinking that a Mojito was in order. Here's a recipe for this Cuban classic, courtesy of Gary Regan's The Joy of Mixology.

First, you'll need a lime (quartered), 8-10 fresh mint leaves, about a tablespoon of granulated sugar, two ounces of rum, and some club soda (I used lime Perrier, which I happened to have in the fridge, and it was real nice!)

The first step is to make sure your muddler is longer than your mixing glass. This recipe takes some serious mashing, and you don't want to have the wrong tool for the job. I was going to suggest using a wooden spoon or something if you don't have a muddler, but I changed my mind -- it won't work very well. So if you think Mojito's are for you, or you like mashing stuff up, or if you just like cool little wooden things, then snag yourself a muddler and read on!

Put the lime quarters, the sugar, and the mint in a mixing glass and mash, and mash, and muddle, and squish until the limes have been squeezed out, the mint is pulverised, and you generally have a soupy mess in there. Go slow, since if you mash quickly it will all just shoot out the top. Relax...you're in Cuba.

Pour your rum into the mixing glass and add some ice cubes, then shake a little.

Strain into a glass filled with crushed ice, top up with soda, garnish with a sprig of mint, and enjoy!

Cheers! Now, on to the beans....