When I think of this drink, I constantly have Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s “Summertime” in my head; that song reminds me of the beginning of summer. Anyway, I’ve always had a love for mojitos and for some reason when I’m on vacation (especially if it’s a beach vacation), I always order them. While we were in Costa Rica, I think I drank quite a few of them. They’re minty, sometimes strong and just beautiful. Mojitos can be quite tedious to make, which is why it’s probably not smart to order one if a bar is super-busy but you probably already knew that. But when you do get around to ordering one, it’ll sure be worth it.
This mojito still has the citrus flavor that a regular mojito has but I simply rearranged, if you will, a few fruits and herbs. For instance, there’s lemon and orange instead of lime and there’s basil instead of mint. Very simple replacements but still very summery. You can drink this and pretend that you’re on a beach somewhere!
What you’ll need:
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 orange, juiced
2 tsp. sugar
basil leaves
1.5 – 2 oz Rum
Champagne (or club soda)
Dissolve the sugar in the lime and orange juice in a cocktail shaker.
Add a few basil leaves to the juice (I used about 3) and gently muddle – just enough to release the basil juices.
Add ice and rum and shake. Pour over ice.
Top with champagne (or you can use club soda if you like…I used champagne – duh).
Throw in a couple of pieces of the orange, lime and a little basil as a garnish. Enjoy!
