I love the refreshing taste of mojitos. But more than the taste, mojitos evokes great memories for me –lounging on a hammock overlooking the beach in Playa Del Carmen sipping classic mojitos, watermelon mojitos, and melon mojitos. An endless amount of mojitos as we let time fly.
And recently, at Terre Bleu lavender festival, I was able to enjoy a new mojito recipe so refreshingly divine, I had to recreate the taste: pineapple lavender mojito (recipe below).
Mojito Recipe: Origin and Disputes
The mojito, like many cocktails, has a very interesting history, one full of disputes regarding its origin. From the 1500s to a 2011 Johnny Depp movie ‘The Rum Diary’, the Mojito has an interesting story from its creation to one of the most loved 21st-century drink.
Some believe Mojito recipe was developed in the 1500’s when Sir Francis Drake landed in Havana to sack the city of its gold. Although an unsuccessful attempt, an early version of the mojito called ‘El Draque’ was invented to heal the crew members who fell ill to scurvy.
Others believe the drink was invented by African slaves working in the Cuban sugar cane plantation. ‘Mojito’ stems from the African word ‘mojo’ meaning ‘to cast a spell’. No doubt, after having a few of these refreshing concoction on a hot day, they may have been spell struck —leading many to behave inappropriately!
The appearance of the Bacardi company around the mid-1800’s boosted the popularity of the Mojito. However, the most disputed story of the Mojito, regarding its original and rise to fame is the ‘La Bodeguita del Medio’ story. Many believe the popularity of the mojito was bolstered by the renowned writer Ernest Hemingway when the restaurant, La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana Cuba claimed Ernest Hemmingway praised their mojito as his favourite drink –one he drinks very often. And so every year, thousands of people, even the Chinese President himself in recent year, flocked to the restaurant to savour La Bodeguita’s ‘Hemingway Mojito’.
No matter how the mojito originated, there’s no denying how refreshingly delicious the mojito is, especially during the summer months. So before the summer ends, try this Pineapple Lavender Mojito recipe today.
How to Make Pineapple Lavender Mojito
Mojito Cubana with a pineapple and lavender twist. Try out this refreshing Pineapple Lavender Mojito recipe today!
- 1 lime
- 6-10 mint leaves no stem
- 1 1/2 tbsp lavender simple sugar
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup club soda or soda water
- Ice cubes or crushed ice
- 1 Thai chili pepper stem removed (optional)
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Cut the lime into 1 half and 2 quarters. Squeeze ¾ of the lime into a tall glass, and save the last quarter of lime.
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Remove the mint leaves from the stem. Discard the stem and use 7-10 mint leaves. Add lavender simple syrup and muddle the ingredients gently together. You want to release the flavours of the mint without breaking the leaves.
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Add whole ice cubes or crushed ice and mix thoroughly. For presentation purposes, make sure the mint leaves stay below the ice.
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Squeeze in the last quarter slice of lime and place it in the glass, along with the chilli pepper. Top off the glass with pineapple juice, and then soda water, and lightly mix.
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Add a sprig of mint and lavender for decoration. Enjoy your Pineapple Lavender Mojito!
This looks absolutely YUMMY!! I must try!
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