Crafting a Non-Alcoholic Mojito

Portions: 1

• Mint leaves
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Simple syrup
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• Crushed ice

Get a muddling tool. Unless you're a professional bartender, you might not have a muddler handy, but muddling mint is crucial for a great mojito. If you lack a muddler, you can use a wooden spoon or even the end of a rolling pin as a substitute.

• If you do possess a muddler, ensure it's made of unfinished wood. Anything coated with varnish or lacquer will eventually deteriorate, contaminating your drinks.

Position the mint in a robust, thick-walled glass. You can also add sugar, as its coarse texture aids in muddling. Ensure the glass you use isn't fragile or thin to prevent breakage during muddling.

• Be sure to separate the leaves from the stems, as they can impart a bitter taste to the drink.
• While spearmint is the traditional choice for mojitos, feel free to experiment with peppermint or pineapple mint for unique flavors.

Apply gentle pressure with the muddler onto the mint leaves, twisting several times. Avoid shredding, crushing, or mincing the leaves, as this releases chlorophyll found in the leaf veins. Chlorophyll is highly bitter and will adversely affect the taste of your virgin mojito.

Stop once you catch a whiff of mint or notice the leaves starting to tear. The leaves should remain intact, crumpled, and perhaps slightly torn. Muddling aims to release the fragrant and flavorful oils in the leaves, and a bit of roughing up facilitates their infusion into your drink.

• Muddling the leaves with sugar enables the oils to permeate the sugar, enhancing the drink's complexity.

If you're adamantly against muddling, gently crumple the leaves in your hands. This method is preferable to chopping the mint, which would release chlorophyll and result in floating mint fragments in your drink. Getting a piece of mint lodged in your throat could ruin the enjoyment of your mojito.

Muddle together mint leaves, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and simple syrup in a tall, sturdy glass. Using a short glass like a highball glass might overcrowd your drink. A mojito should have ample ice and liquid since it's meant to be a refreshing summer beverage to savor slowly. A smaller glass could throw off the drink's balance.

• Simple syrup ensures sweetness throughout the drink, as granulated sugar may not dissolve completely in cold liquids. You can omit the simple syrup and use only granulated sugar, but be prepared for it to settle at the glass's bottom.
• Turbinado sugar has a slight molasses taste that some enjoy, but its granules are too large to dissolve in cold drinks. If using turbinado sugar, grind it in a spice or coffee grinder first.

Extract 1 oz. of fresh lime juice from one large or medium-sized lime. If you don't get a full ounce from one lime, use the juice of a second lime. To maximize juice extraction, roll the lime on the countertop under your palm with slight pressure to soften it.

• Halve the lime and place one half in a handheld lemon or lime squeezer with an open hinge. Ensure the lime's flat part faces the squeezer's round bottom, with small holes for juice to strain through.
• Hold the squeezer over a bowl or glass.
• Close the squeezer, pressing the top cup onto the lime.
• Squeeze the juicer's arms together; as the top cup presses the lime, it will invert and juice the lime.

Combine the fresh lime juice with the mint and sweeteners in the glass. Allow the flavors to meld for a few minutes and give it a gentle stir. If the lime juice is at room temperature, the sugar may start dissolving into the liquid.

• If you're feeling adventurous and want to deviate from the classic mojito, now's your chance! Experiment with apple juice, pink grapefruit juice, lemonade, strawberry puree, or other fruit juices. You might discover surprising and delightful flavor combinations!

Add ice to your glass, filling it at least 3/4 full, if not to the brim. There's ongoing discussion about whether to use crushed ice or ice cubes, so go with your preference. After all, this is your drink.

• Crushed ice will chill your drink more quickly, but it will also melt faster.
• Create ice cubes with crushed mint leaves frozen inside, allowing the mint flavor to infuse as the cubes melt into your drink.

Top up the glass with club soda. Here's your chance to get creative with the recipe again by substituting ginger ale or lemon-lime soda for club soda. You'll still get the fizz but with a slightly different taste.

• Enhance your drink with a leftover mint sprig, lime wedge or wheel, or even a rock candy swizzle stick.
• If your mojito is too tangy, add an extra teaspoon of sugar or more simple syrup and give it a stir.
• Tonic water can be a substitute for club soda, but it will impart a more bitter flavor.

• Muddler (or wooden spoon)
• Tall glass (pint or Collins)