Summer Berry Mojito

Ingredients

• ●2 oz (60 ml) white rum (Havana Club, Plantation 3 Stars, or Flor de Caña 4)
• ●1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• ●¾ oz (22 ml) simple syrup
• ●6-8 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
• ●¼ cup (about 6-8) mixed fresh berries (strawberries quartered, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries)
• ●2 oz (60 ml) club soda
• ●Crushed ice

Method

1. **Muddle.** Place the berries, mint leaves, and simple syrup in the bottom of a tall highball glass. Press gently with a muddler — you want to bruise the mint and crush the berries enough to release their juice, not pulverize them into mush. 6-8 gentle presses.
2. **Add the rum and lime.** Pour in the rum and lime juice. Stir briefly to combine.
3. **Add crushed ice.** Pack the glass with crushed ice (to crush ice: wrap cubes in a clean towel and smack with a rolling pin or heavy pan).
4. **Top with club soda.** Pour it down the side. Stir gently from the bottom up to distribute the berry color.
5. **Garnish** with a generous mint sprig (slap it first) and a few whole berries threaded on a cocktail pick.
6. *Variations:**
7. **Strawberry-Basil Mojito:** Use strawberries only, replace mint with basil.
8. **Blackberry-Sage Mojito:** Use blackberries, replace mint with 3-4 sage leaves.
9. **Batch Berry Mojito (for 8):** Muddle 2 cups berries with 1 cup mint in a pitcher. Add 2 cups rum, 1 cup lime juice, ¾ cup syrup. Top individual glasses with soda.
10. *Storage:** Serve immediately. Mojitos don't hold — the mint turns dark and the carbonation dies.