My Ginger Lime Mojito recipe is sparkly, cool and refreshing, the flavors of mint, lime and ginger meld together perfectly with a dark aged rum. The flavors of the mint and lime are intensified by muddling and the ginger adds a perfect sharpness to the mix. The history of the Traditional Mojito recipe is quite amazing. Based on a tonic created in the 1580s by the Pirate Francis Drake, the tonic was named El Draque. Although He was a Knighted Vice Admiral in the British Royal Navy, Sir Francis Drake was definitely a pirate, murderer and a slave trader. His famous robbery of a mule train hauling 20 tons of gold and silver is where the legend of pirates buried treasure comes from. While making his escape from a very angry Spanish military, Drake and his crew buried much of the gold. Some in the jungle and a second lot on the beach. The Spanish monarch King Phillip II offered a reward of $8 million in today’s U.S. dollars, for his capture or death.

It was during one of his many raids, whilst hiding out somewhere in Cuba, that Drake found himself and his crew too sick to make their escape from the Spanish Fleet. With the help of the medicine men of the Taino and Ciboney Tribes, they used the local ingredients to concoct a tonic to help cure the crew. Made with mint to ease the stomach, limes to treat scurvy and chuchuhuasi tree bark soaked in rum as a pain reliever. The tonic was a successful cure and allowed Drake and his fleet to escape the Spanish Armada. First concocted in 1586, El Draque is considered by many to be the very first cocktail. Chuchuhuasi is available for purchase in health food stores and on Amazon as either an extract, a powder or in pill form. Many people swear by it as an all-natural pain reliever. For a cocktail, it’s optional, however, it may cure your hangover before it occurs.

This is how I make the three cocktails:

El Draque recipe:

• INGREDIENTS:
• 2 Ounces White Rum
• 10 Mint Leaves
• 2 Teaspoons Sugar
• 1 Lime
• 1 Chuchuhuasi Extract recommended serving size (optional)

PROCESS:

-Muddle the lime, sugar, mint and Chuchuhuasi extract.

-Pour over ice with rum, stir

Traditional Mojito recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 Mint Leaves
• ½ Lime, 4 wedges
• 2 Teaspoons Sugar
• 2 Ounces White Rum
• 3 Ounces Club Soda

PROCESS:

-Muddle 1 lime wedge and the mint leaves, to release the oils and juice

-Add remaining lime wedges and sugar, muddle

-Fill glass with ice

-Add rum and soda, stir gently

Ginger Lime Mojito recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

Ginger Simple Syrup:

• 1/3 cup, Ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Sugar

PROCESS:

-Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes

-Strain mixture, discard ginger

-Refrigerate

Ginger Lime Mojito

• 2 Ounces White or Dark Rum (I prefer dark)
• 10 Mint Leaves
• ½ Lime, 4 wedges
• 1 Ounce Ginger Simple Syrup
• 2 Ounces Club Soda

PROCESS:

-Muddle 1 lime wedge and the mint leaves, to release the oils and juice

-Add remaining lime wedges and Ginger Simple Syrup, muddle

-Fill glass with ice

-Add rum and soda, stir gently

Yar.