How about a fancy-pants twist on a summer favorite? OK, it's not THAT fancy, but it isn't much more difficult than making a normal mojito and it adds a nice little kick. Yes, you could just add more rum if you want a kick... so why not add more rum and the ginger too?
Obviously only fresh mint and ginger will do. Unfortunately, ginger comes in pesky little shapes and can be difficult to remove the skin. If you peel it with a spoon you can eliminate the risk of slicing your finger.
Garnish these little firecrackers with a lime wedge or a slice of ginger. Make a slit with a sharp knife and hang it from the rim.
Make a mojito as you normally would:
- a small bunch of fresh mint leaves, about 6-7
- half a lime, cut into 4 wedges
- 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
- 3-4 sugar cube-sized chunks of fresh ginger
- 1.5-2 ounces white or light rum
- ice
- top everything off with soda/seltzer water
Directions:
Put the mint, lime, sugar, and ginger into a tumbler. Muddle everything together with a... muddler! (seriously, you can't make a proper mojito without one).
Add the rum, ice, and top the glass with seltzer water. I like to munch the mint as I go, it freshens your breath; and besides, spitting the little bits back into your glass every time you take a sip is uncouth.
Done.
Here is a great video from Epicurious on how to make a "proper" Mojito; a la one that you would find in a nice bar.