Refresh your taste buds with these cool cocktails with a touch of mint to add that extra coolness, while you take some out wherever, whenever… it is a minty affair.
Bar Research and Development Analyst at Cubaña, Jaco Brink, has set out all the need-to-knows on getting your minty affair started.
“Mint massively influences bartenders around the world. It has a fresh taste that positively influences almost any drink that it is added to.”
First Base: Get to know your mint
Always wash thoroughly – mint has a lot of little spaces for dirt to hide.
- Make sure the mint is fresh – Watch for blemishes or discolouration around the leaves.
- Only break off and use as much as you are going to use – it can be kept but it takes space, does not last long and must be refrigerated.
- When stripping the mint – Always keep a bunch of leaves at the top of a stem as a “sprig” that will add to aroma when placed as a garnish.
- Do not use too much and pay attention to the kind of mint used – Using spearmint instead of garden mint can lead to flavour disasters (Garden Mint is generally used behind bars).
- Try not to over-muddle the mint into broken pieces – it leads to a “spinach” smile and a strange texture. I generally give it a good slap or ten with clean hands before stirring it into my drink.
Second Base: Get your hands dirty … three times a charm or you can just try one
Mr Passionate:
Tall tropical cooler style drink that combines the flavours of Gin and Passion Fruit by using fresh mint.
The actual recipe is a secret, but a basic version can be made by pouring Gin, Passion Fruit Juice and Mint into a glass up to ½, stir and then top it off with Tonic with a fresh squeeze of Fresh Lime and a mint sprig for more aroma.
Smashing: Based on an old classic cocktail called the Whiskey Smash, this uses South African Brandy mixed with orange juice, Passoa (passion fruit liqueur), mint and add Gomme Syrup (sugary syrup made with water and sugar) to taste.
Classic Mojito:
Not only can this be made as a completely non-alcoholic version without Rum, but it could easily be one of the best classics out there for a hot summer day.
Place fresh Lime chunks with Fine Sugar into a medium glass, muddle these till the sugar gets dissolved into the lime juices. Fill the glass up to half with crushed ice (must be crushed), place the “slapped” mint on top of it and pour a generous helping of Light Rum over the leaves to extract more flavour and stir it all together.
Top up with crushed ice to the top and then fill it up with soda water. Adding a little splash of Juice i.e. Orange, Passion, Cranberry, etc. can also add a bit of colour with just an extra hint of flavour to your recipe.
Third Base: Final touches and serve!
Add some extra mint leaves, get creative with the ingredients you used to make the drink look extra cool and refreshing before you serve.
TEXT and PHOTOGRAPHY: GYPSEENIA LION
