BY MARIKO FUKUYAMA
Mojito Mojo
A sweet, sour, refreshing new drink.
SATURDAY
NIGHT
E
JAZZ
Come Enjoy
8-11 p.m. NO COVER CHARGE
Over 120
APRIL 26
olem alves trio
MAY 3
mike denny
Beers
F r o m Around The World!
Saturday
May 31st, 2003
Two Sessions:
1-5 PM • 6-10 PM
Tickets:
(formerly Piccolo’s)
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685 East Broadway • Eugene • 344-1091
H O UR S : 11 - 10 S U N - T H U R • 11 - 11 F R I - S A T
Delivery available through Pony Express
26 APRIL 24, 2003
ventually the weather will warm up
in Eugene, and when that happens,
add this to the list of good things that
come with it: enjoying the Mojito. For some
people, Mojito is a familiar indulgence and
for others it’s just beginning to flash on their
radar. This trendy Cuban-import cocktail, is
concocted mainly from mint, lime and white
rum. It bursts with a unique, refreshing fla-
vor, and deserves its growing success.
Long considered the unofficial cocktail of
Cuba, it developed out of a drink called
Draque and became popular with Havana’s
high society during the 1920s. Bringing to-
gether some of the best offerings from the is-
land — one being rum, which is distilled
from sugar cane — it is still enjoyed in many
Latin countries and restaurants.
This drink has a cult-like following. Part-
time Cuban resident, Earnest Hemmingway
himself wrote on a famous bar napkin in
1954, “My Mojito in La Bodeguita, my
Daiquiri in El Floridita.” The Mojito made a
transoceanic leap in the summer of 1998,
when it emerged in London as the hipsters’
summer drink of choice, and has since re-
crossed the Atlantic, gaining fans on its move
west.
Mojito’s particular appeal comes from its
distinct balance of rum with the strong fla-
vors of mint and lime. Never too sweet,
slightly sour, it refreshes the mouth and pairs
well with spicy foods. When done correctly,
each ingredient should be distinguishable, no
ingredient overshadowing the others. A sim-
ple blend of sugar and mint leaves — manip-
ulated by a tool called a “muddler” — com-
bined with limes and rum will yield a fabu-
lous Mojito. The muddler, similar in function
to a grinding pestle, looks like a six-inch
wooden baseball bat. Its function is to crush
the sugar and mint together, releasing the es-
sential oils. A little extra time is involved, but
Mojito is meant to be a whole experience —
mixing, sipping and relaxing go hand in
hand. Nibbling the pieces of mint as you
think good thoughts are part of the experi-
ence, and your breath ends up better when
you’re done.
You can find Mojito at a handful of restau-
rants and bars in Eugene — not only Latin in-
fluenced joints — and undoubtedly more will
crop up as summer approaches. Taco Loco,
Luna, Red Agave and Lucky Noodle are all
currently serving it up. Even if it is not explic-
itly on the drink menu, inquire about it any-
way, especially if another drink on the menu
features mint.
To be your own personal bartender and
experiment with flavors, try the following
recipe. I think it tastes best if made by the in-
dividual glass, but it is also great by the
pitcher for summer parties. Just remember —
though you can’t taste the rum, it’s still in
there packing a punch!
BASIC MOJITO RECIPE:
1/2 tsp. sugar
7-10 sprigs of fresh mint
(never use dried mint – sacrilege darling!)
1 lime, cut in wedges
2 oz. white rum
Crushed or cubed ice
Splash of soda water
For a single Mojito, the tools you will
need are a highball glass and a muddler (a bar
spoon can substitute). Put the sugar and the
mint in the high ball glass and mash the two
together. The mint should be broken down
into small bits and releasing its fragrance.
Squeeze the juice of the lime in, reserving
one of the wedges. Add the rum and enough
ice to almost fill the glass. Mix it all together
until the mint pieces are distributed evenly
throughout. Top off with a splash of soda
water — the size of your splash depends on
your personal taste and tolerance. Float the
lime wedge on top. Drink with a straw. ew