Okay, so they’re not exactly mojito machines in the sense of creating a great cocktail from thin air. But they are prolific providers of an essential ingredient in mojitos. What in the world am I talking about? Mint, of course.
Photo by jeepeenyc
The name “mint” is kind of misleading. There isn’t just one mint. There is spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, Egyptian mint, and on and on. The great thing about mint, from a balcony gardeners’ perspective, is that it is best grown in containers. Mint will take over a bed if allowed to grow directly in the ground. But its shallow root system is ideal for being grown in containers.
Mint is super easy to grow from either a transplant or from seed. Here are some great varieties to try:
- Chocolate Mint – The leaves taste like an after dinner Andes chocolate mint. If grown in full sun, the leaves develop a nice chocolate-colored tinge around the edges of the leaves.
- Pineapple Mint – This mint has a faint pineapple flavor to it and pretty green and white variegated leaves. This is the variety to grow if you are gardening in the shade.
- Egyptian Mint – Has a mild mint flavor and large fuzzy leaves.
- Kentucky Colonel – The leaves have a fruity-mint flavor. This guy is the traditional choice for mixed drinks that call for mint.
- Corsican Mint – A small-leaved ground cover mint. This plant would be an interesting replacement for baby’s tears.
- Persian Mint – Probably the most mild flavored mint. This is a great mint to use when you don’t want an overwhelming mint flavor or aroma.
As I mentioned earlier, mint is an important ingredient in mojitos. If you grow a variety of mints, you can try them out and decide which is your favorite in a mojito. Kentucky Colonel is probably the safest choice, but who says that Chocolate Mint wouldn’t work well in a mojito?
MOJITO
- 2 fresh mint sprigs
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 ounces light rum
- Chilled club soda
- In a tall glass with back of a spoon crush mint with sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved and stir in rum. Add ice cubes and top off drink with club soda or seltzer water.
- Stir drink well and garnish with mint leaves.
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These sound great, I’ve heard of them but never had one. The Chocolate mint sounds yummy too.
Cindy — I’ve personally tasted chocolate mint, and I think it might be my favorite mint. You should try a mojito this weekend! If you do, let me know how it turns out.
I must admit, I grow spearmint solely for mojitos! But maybe I’ll have to branch out and try a more exotic one.
Okay, I cannot restrain myself here. I mastered the art of Mojito’s last summer, and have test marketed my recipe on all kinds of willing participants. Nothing less than home-grown Mojitos for me and my friends. Mondo is the unabashed Mojito master, with all due respects. It’s all in the empiricism… a hundred or more folks can’t be wrong. Firstly only spearmint should be used. Have experimented with other mints; they just don’t cut it. The best spearmints to use in this order: “Mint the Best”, “Mint Julep”, and your suggestion Fern “Kentucky Colonel” is also acceptable. “Mint the best” truly the best, unfortunately rust-prone in the garden. Secondly, the traditional Mojitos of Cuba are lime based… you would not see Hemingway sipping a Mojito with lemon juice. Thirdly, simple syrup should be used to suspend the essential oils released by muddling the mint, and only muddle the mint and sugar together sans citrus juice. To simply my diatribe (in the sake of culinary excellence) Here is what my Mojito’s look like, and best of all here is the recipe for Mondo’s Third World Mojitos. This recipe came in first place at a Mojito contest in Sweden this summer.
Mary Beth — That seems like a good reason to me!
Mondo — LOL. I’ll have to try your recipe.
I find Basil works out really well. A watermelon/basil mojito is a delish summer drink, and Basil is about as easy to grow as it gets.
Ben — I’ve never tried that. It sounds good!
love mints! i actually bought a mojito mint plant from an herb farm by me. richters herbs, the mojito mint is from an orignal Cuban plant!
Cindy — I also have mojito mint, also from Richter’s (howdy neighbour
I actually find the fragrance rather odd, but I’m looking forward to trying it out this summer.