Bottoms Up // Mojitos with Homemade Simple Syrup

Sometimes I feel a little weird ordering a mojito when we’re out and about. I dunno, maybe they seem kind of cliché to me, or they got really trendy and I feel a bit cheesy asking a bartender to make me one. But making them at home for ourselves is a whole different story! I know. There is no rhyme or reason to my theories, but I do know that if you hand Mr. Lovely some mint and a muddler he makes magic. So here’s his recipe.

• mint
• limes
• sugar
• water
• clear rum
• seltzer
• cocktail shaker
• muddler
• ice

First, make your simple syrup. Use a sugar-water ratio of 2:1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. As soon as the water starts to boil, turn off the heat and add the sugar. Stir until fully dissolved. Let cool in the pan, transfer to a sealed container, and store in the refrigerator.

Now on to the good stuff! In a shaker, muddle a few sprigs of mint and half a lime, sliced.

Once muddled, pour one part simple syrup and two parts rum into the shaker. Add ice and shake.

Pour into your glass and top with seltzer. Stir gently. Garnish with an extra sprig of mint and serve! xoxo