Strawberry Mojito

Few drinks are as refreshing on a hot summer day as a good mojito. Sugar, mint, rum, lime—it's heaven in a glass.

The mojito is already practically a perfect drink in every way, so what could possibly make it better? A little seasonal fruit, like strawberries! When they reach their peak at the beginning of summer, strawberries are an excellent accompaniment to a mojito's sweet, sour, minty flavor.

Which Rum to Use for a Mojito

I use Bacardi, but any white rum will do. White rum (also called silver or light rum) is clear, like vodka, and has a subtle, sweet flavor. It appears in a lot of classic rum cocktails, like the piña colada, the daiquiri, and of course, the mojito. Since you’re mixing rum with other ingredients, an ultra-premium rum isn’t necessary.

The Right Tools to Make a Mojito

I recommend the following tools if you're going to make a mojito. You can do without them, of course, but they'll make the job a lot easier. (They're also quite useful for making other cocktails, too!)

First, a muddler. Muddlers, which can be made from wood, metal, or rubber, look like tiny meat tenderizers on a stick. When you use a muddler to smash or pulverize fruits and herbs, it brings out their flavor and aroma.

You can use the back of a spoon to do the job, but when it comes to cocktails like mojitos, mint juleps, or a whiskey smash, a muddler really is best.

Second, a citrus juicer. I juice a lot of citrus when making cocktails, and I absolutely swear by a handheld citrus juicer like this one. (In case you didn’t know, this is how to correctly juice a lemon or lime.) There are other ways to juice limes, including with your hands, but I find this to be the quickest and most efficient.

Lastly, a canvas ice bag. The most important part of a mojito is not the rum, or the lime, or even the mint. It's the ice. Without crushed ice, a mojito isn't a mojito. The problem is that unless you can afford a $400 countertop pebble ice maker, or your refrigerator helpfully generates it for you, making crushed ice is kind of a pain.

The best way I’ve found to do this is with a canvas ice bag. You place the ice in it, and then beat the tar out of it with a rolling pin. (You can also use an ice mallet, but I find that a rolling pin works just as well.) Voila—crushed ice!

More Summer-Ready Cocktails

• Mint and Lime Mojito
• Sparkling Strawberry Sangria
• Mixed Berry Red Wine Sangria
• Blender Piña Colada
• Long Island Iced Tea