Mojitos

[jquest63]

I love Mojitos, especially making them with fresh picked mint. I grow my own spearmint, but don't know the Genus/species. Pre-mixed, ready to drink mojitos convenient and ok, but not as good as made from scratch.

Any thoughts on what type of mint is best for mojitos? Have read different opinions as to what is the authentic mint. Supposedly, a species of mint unique to Cuba is best.

Also, would welcome any recipes or tips for best mojitos.

[Ken Gargett]

don't know what mint they use it cuba - it seems very close to the normal mint we have here - but whatever it is, it must grow like weeds as they go through truckloads of it.

i would not have thought spearmint was what you wanted though but after doing a quick bit of research, perhaps it is. the oxford food encyclopedia - the best reference book on food by a mile - has about a dozen diffferent types. spearmint was native to the med so could easily have been transported across with the spanish. it seems to be the main one used.

the big difference between mojitos in cuba and outside is that often here and elsewhere outside cuba, you get about three mint leaves. in cuba, they crush almost as much as the glass will take in to it.

[Taino]

The original (and to me the best) is Yerba Buena (mentha spicata).

Somebody told me once that it is used as antiseptic, analgesic, anti inflammatory, carminative (digestive) and several other good things for my body... so mojito is really a medicine I take every day

[tucomapache]

You are correct on all counts Taino..