ilovemojito.com

With all the buzz of the world cup and all the world cup barbeques this weekend, who will be able to resist the urge to make a mojito…or three!  With the right ingredients and a bit of know-how, you can make your own at home.
If you’re thinking about crushing, piercing, smooshing, or pounding…forget that. The process of muddling is to bruise and press. You want to release essential oils and fruit juice, but not make a mash of the ingredients. Press firmly but slowly and in a controlled fashion that adds all the pressure you want, but doesn’t break down the ingredients into mush or bits.

There are all kinds of tools you can use to muddle, but here are a few important characteristics:

1. The muddler should have a flat end rather than a round or pointed end…this lets you get more of the surface of the muddler in contact with the fruit or mint.
2. The muddler should not be made of any reactive material like aluminum or a plastic that could transfer flavors. Wood is a good choice as long as it’s easily cleaned.
3. The muddler should fit nicely in your hand and be easy to handle.
4. The muddler should be long enough to easily get to the bottom of whatever glass or cocktail shaker you’ll be using to muddle in.

Just press firmly until the fruit gives up the good stuff. For Mojitos, look for the mint leaves to turn a darker green color. The trick with mint is to press enough to release the oils, but not so hard that the stemmy, grassy flavors become noticeable.

Mojito Talks
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