Mojito

Put down the muddler. For this mojito recipe, you won’t need it. Instead, bartender Eben Freeman relies on the technique of gently tearing mint leaves and stirring them into a highball glass that’s been filled with crushed ice. Instead of bruising the mint with a muddler, which can lead to acrid flavors, this method gently coaxes the aroma from the leaves and disperses it into the lime-and-sugar syrup at the bottom of the glass. Continue building the drink in the glass with a pour of white rum—this is no place for anything dark or robust, you want something crisp. A Cuban rum would be appropriate for a classic mojito cocktail; the majority of mojitos you’ve had at bars or restaurants were likely made with Bacardi. We like Banks 5 Island, a blended rum that has a little more depth. Finish with a splash of club soda and gently stir (with a bar spoon if you have one, or a chopstick if you don’t) to combine.

To garnish this easy drink, you don’t need a lime wedge or a hunk of sugar cane. Just take a fresh sprig of mint, tap it in the palm of your hand to encourage its fragrance, then tuck it into the glass so that you get a big whiff of mint with every sip of this refreshing cocktail.

Editor's note: This recipe was originally published May 2008.