EL MOJITO PERFECTO

The Mojito, Cuba's signature cocktail, storied and legendary. Havana nights, Hemingway, El Ron de Cuba. But what's a mojito anyway? Examples abound. Is it the rum drink with the dollop of mint served in trendy bars wordwide - even in the USA? The quality varies; it's even possible to have a terrible mojito in Havana. How do we find the real mojito, el mojito perfecto?

Ernesto Perez Santos, now retired, had a long and illustrious career in the Havana hotel scene. Working and managing in many of the top hotels - the Ingleterra, the Victoria, the Presidente, and others, Ernesto is especially fond of his stint as barman at the Habana Libre. It was here that he honed his techniques in creating cocktails with Cuban rum. When Havana Club was invited to present their rum at the prestigious Unita festival in Italy, they sent Ernesto. His attention to detail and presentation put Cuban rum in the spotlight.

At a casa particular in Havana's Vedado district that he manages, Ernesto enthused about the rum cocktails, daiquiri, presidente, bandera, and of course the mojito. Knowing all too well the demise of quality, he was eager to share his knowledge of the correct formulation. With lime from a tree in the yard, and his potted yerba buena, here's Ernesto's recipe:

1. Put 1 ½ tsp sugar in a tall 8oz. glass. Place a generous sprig of mint on top of sugar.
2. Add 1 shot of lime juice and a splash of soda water.
3. Macerate the mint vigorously. This releases the oil in the mint leaves, and begins to dissolve the sugar. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
4. Add 1 shot white Cuban rum. Put 2 or 3 ice cubes in the glass. Top up with soda water. Stir again, briefly.
5. Garnish with another sprig of fresh mint. Make it gorgeous.