Who invented the Mojito?

So, who invented the Mojito? (anyone?)

And whiles you are at it, what is your recipe?

Porgy,

You know my wife was asking me the same question about what's in it...

I hope someone has the answer :D

Bambooh.

Click on Search, type in "Mojito" sans the quotes, and you will find a recipe from Shelley, I belive.

Although I'm not sure of the origins of the Mojito I believe it preceded the mint julep. The book "Famous New Orleans Drinks" (1937) states the San Domingo Julep "seems to be the original mint julep that came to Louisiana away back in 1793, at the time the white aristocrats, who were expelled from San Domingo by the uprising of the blacks, settled in New Orleans. In the United States, especially those states south of the Mason and Dixon line, Bourbon whiskey gradually took the place of sugar cane rum as the spirit of the drink." The recipe for the San Domingo julep is:

1 sugar cube
1 1/2 jugger of rum
sprigs of mint

Drop the sugar into a tall glass, moisten with a little water. Drop in a few mint leaves and muddle. Fill with shaved or crushed ice. Add rum and jiggle with bar spoon. Add mint sprig.

Note absence of lime juice.

The Trader Vic Bartender's Guide (1947) says a Mojito goes like this:

1/2 lime
3 sprigs mint
1 tsp. bar sugar
2 oz. Puerto Rico rum

Squeeze lime and drop shell in 10 oz. glass; add sugar to juice and mint leaves and muddle. Fill glass with shaved ice; pour rum over ice; stir or swizzle until glass frosts. Add dash of charged water; garnish with mint and serve with straws.

I could easily be horribly wrong, but I think it originated in Cuba. Hemingway was certainly a fan, but then again, he loved anything with more than a few drops of the hard stuff in it!

Trader Woody

Hello Porgy -- if you search for the words Mojito Royale you'll find my contribution to the great mojito debate. The recipe I give there is the souped-up version; just replace fizz with soda for the classic. I tried about 6 different recipes before settling on this one, which I thought was by far the best. Anyway, have a blast trying -- what a great challenge to set yourself. In fact, I think you should personally test every single recipe you've been given here and then report back -- if you can...

I did some work for the Bacardi family a few years back, and say what what you will about the quality of their rum, they were fiercely proud of their Cuban heritage. And their mojitos.

Their official write up of the Mojito goes like this: "Like the endless fields of sugarcane and the rows of rich tobacco, a drink called the Mojito (pronounced moe-hee-toe) seemed to spring up from the Cuban heartland and capture the soul of its people. The Mojito was originally named the Draque. It was in the mid-nineteenth century, at the same time Don Facundo Bacardi originated his charcoal-mellowed BACARDI rums, that the Draque’s original recipe was adjusted. Changed to include rum, the new concoction was named Mojito. Shortly thereafter, Cubans everywhere were making them with Cuba’s original rum, BACARDI. The Mojito became not just a pastime but a national passion. By the mid-1920’s, the Mojito was, unofficially at least, the national drink of Cuba."

Yes sir, some ad monkey earned his weekly copywriting money with that one.

Some other leads on this topic appear here:
http://www.cocktail.com/recipes/m/MojitoClassic.htm
http://www.1001cocktails.com/php/afficher_cocktail.php3?id_cocktail=45

The free Alta Vista translation of the French from the second link in my post above has this to say, if somewhat awkwardly:
"Mojito was discovered in Cuba between 1910 and 1920 at a certain time when the Mafia cuban reigned and in the beginning, it was called Draque. It is about the middle of the 19th century that the original recipe of Draque was developed. When it was modified to include rum there, one gave him the name of Mojito (to pronounce with the cuban one: morito). Little time after, the Cubans prepared it everywhere with rum. In the middle of the Twenties, it had become the national drink of Cuba. Mojito is a very scented cocktail, slightly sweetened with a point of acidity. Been useful in glass high and furnished with chopped spearmint sheets (the purists insist on the choice of the "hierba buena", (the grass of happiness, a variety of cuban mint). Mojito without sugar, created at the beginning for Ernest Hemingway, because he did not digest sugar not rafiné, prepared with Gustos Maracino (a cuban liquor containing cherries) and a grapefruit peel. There is Mojito slightly more vigorous, at base of the brown rhums. The closest connection binds us to the popular bar Bodeguita del Medio in Cuba. In the Thirties and Forties, the barmans of Bodeguita del Medio Bar made this drink popular under the name, amongst other things, of Ernest Hemingways. Mojito is a very elegant, cosmopolitan drink. During its preparation, it is firstly a question of working the Mint sheets and Sugar with a rammer. One then makes run half of a green lemon in a hurry on this mixture. This oil gives to Mojito this a little acid taste, which represents "sine qua non" this drink. Mojito is one of the only Cocktails which improves the breath. One must however pay attention to have to remove all the pieces of Mint sheets wedged between the teeth before leaving the bar! "

I have another cocktail book from the 50s that says the Mojito came from the West Indies. Hmmmm...

My recipe is as follows (and was lovingly tested on several people just this past weekend). It's based on a few recipes, but mostly from the one at Hobson's Choice in San Francisco.

Slice one lime into eight segments, squeeze and toss into the bottom of a cocktail shaker.

Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of fine sugar to the shaker (I can never find bar sugar, so I use what's called either Bakers Sugar or Extra Fine Sugar -but NOT powdered)

Tear up several mint leaves and add to shaker. I don't know exactly how many- just experiment until it is minty to your liking.

Using a muddler, grind the three together for some time This releases further lime juice, more mint oil, and disolves the sugar, so it's an important step.

Here's the "secret" part: Add 2 oz Bacardi Limon. Lots of rums work well (though I think white rums are best), but the Limon adds a nice touch to this drink.

Add about 1 cup of Ice, give it a good shake, and pour everything into glass/mug of your choice (ideally 16 oz) Top with a splash selzer water (not club soda) and stir gently to combine.

Great on a warm summer night.

-martin

On a warm summer night indeed. Even better when accompanied with some live Son or Rumba dining under the stars. The food gets old after awhile. Just can't get enough of that music though. If you ever eat at La Bodegita del Medio, take a sharpie. At least that's what I've heard.