Mojito

[Victoria Neufeldt]

The mojito is a wonderful drink.  It's THE drink in Cuba, at least in
Havana -- I first tasted it there (in Havana) in the early 80s.   Just a
month ago, on the 4th of July weekend in Washington, D.C., I was given the
"definitive" recipe.  (I always believe what I'm told.)  To quote:

A fistful of mint; crush with pestle (or end of broom handle) in bottom of
medium tall glass
Add one heaping teaspoon sugar and mush up with the mint
Add two shots lime juice (about 2 limes)
Add two shots club soda
Add three regular ice cubes
Fill to top with white rum.

Sorry, I have absolutely nothing linguistic to say about this!  Just wanted
to share . . .

Victoria

P.S.  I thought it was another drink that was associated with Hemingway and
the Bodeguita del Medio.  Can't think of the name at the moment, but it's
drunk out of a stemmed glass.

Victoria Neufeldt
Merriam-Webster, Inc. P.O. Box 281
Springfield, MA 01102
Tel: 413-734-3134  ext 124
Fax: 413-827-7262




Barry Popik writes, on July 23:
>
>      The OED (in search of "M") doesn't have "Mojito."
>      From COCKTAIL: THE DRINKS BIBLE FOR THE 21st CENTURY
> (Viking, NY, 1998)
> by Wired's Alchemist Paul Harrington and Laura Moorhead, pg. 124:
>
>      The Mojito was born in Cuba during this century's teen years.  Simple
> enough and old enough to be claimed as the creation of more than a few
> bartenders, this classic is most closely tied to Cuba's famous La
> Bodeguita
> del Medio bar.  This establishment's bartenders worked hard to
> popularize the
> drink during the '30s and '40s--often resorting to name-dropping, most
> notably that of Ernest Hemingway.  Their efforts paid off.  Soon
> popular with
> Havana's hipsters, the Mojito lifted fresh mint out of its bit
> part as a mere
> cocktail garnish.  An easy blend of sugar, mint leaves, lime
> juice, RUM, ice,
> and soda water (strictly in that order), a Mojito (pronounced
> "moe-HEE-toe")
> is served in a tall glass sparkling with bublles and greenery,
> garnished with
> a sprig of mint on top.
>
>      From THE OLD WALDORF-ASTORIA BAR BOOK (Dood, Mead & Co., NY,
> 1934--but
> containing pre-prohibition recipes) by Albert Stevens Crockett, pg. 136:
>
>      MOJITO
>      Same as Bacardi Rickey, with little Sugar and few sprigs of
> Mint added.
>