Food

6 Ways To Put a Jewish Twist on Your Mojito

Image by Wikimedia Commons

By Hody Nemes July 11, 2014

The mojito is a classic Cuban drink. But who says it can’t be a Jewish one, too?

In honor of National Mojito Day on July 11, we have concocted (and named!) 6 Jewish mojitos that will spice up a summer party. Or a synagogue kiddush.

Start by finding the five classic ingredients of a mojito: rum, lime juice, sugar, mint, and sparkling water.

That’s when the real fun begins:

1) The Borscht Belt

Throw in a tablespoon of beet puree to create a beautiful pink mojito that marches to the beet of its own drum. Add a dash of ginger for an extra refreshing kick.

2) The Kosher Pickle

For a classy, textured drinking experience, dip the rim of your cocktail glass into a mixture of kosher salt and sugar before pouring in a classic mojito. Alternatively, just mix the salt directly into the liquid for a briny mojito. Garnish with a pickle slice.

3) The Shana Tovah

It’s the perfect drink for Rosh Hashanah. Use apple-infused rum, or if you don’t have that on hand, add a splash of apple juice to your regular rum. Garnish with a thin slice of apple, and ring in the new year.

4) Sex on the Tel Aviv Beach

Give your mojito an Israeli flair by replacing the rum with Arak, the iconic Middle Eastern liquor made from anise seeds. Arak is potent, fiery stuff, so make sure not to skimp on the sugar.

5) The Tabernacle

What better way to celebrate Sukkot than with a pomegranate Mojito? Enhance a regular mojito with 1 ounce of pomegranate juice and a handful of pomegranate seeds. The eye-catching red drink is the brainchild of Ben Brewer of Israel Food Tours, who believes in “using regional [Israeli] ingredients to alter classic cocktails.” Garnish with a slice of etrog?

6) The Blue Bottle

Some people swap out the rum in their mojitos for champagne. We suggest trying Bartenura Moscato instead. This kosher wine, which is produced by a winery named for a 15-century rabbi, and has taken the world by storm. It will give your mojito a sweet bubbly burst.

Enjoy!

Do you have any other Jewish mojito ideas? (A horseradish mojito for Passover? A mojito-flavored knish?) Let us know in the comments!

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