Frohito

The Mojito is a consummate summertime drink. The Cuban classic, a potent but delicious mix of rum, sugar, mint, lime and club soda, has spent decades as an iconic beachside-sipper. But if the drink isn’t refreshing and summery enough in its normal form, there’s always the option to throw the whole lot in a blender. The Frohito is a rich and frothy take on the classic, and arguably even easier to make than the labor-intensive base recipe. This riff comes from bar legend Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, a prominent Tiki historian and owner of the famed New Orleans Tiki spot Latitude 29.

Like with any Mojito or its variations, the choice of rum will influence the final product. Using a Cuban rum is always a good option for authenticity; however, the availability of Cuban rums is unreliable at best, given the continued sanctions against their importation to the United States. Instead, white rums like Cana Brava, Plantation 3 Star white rum and Cruzan aged light rum are all viable, affordable alternatives.

One change to the recipe is the use of a mint syrup rather than time spent muddling the mint and sugar in the glass. While this does add prep time, it also means once the mint syrup is made, the overall time to make the drink is lessened. Furthermore, the mint syrup can be used in other drinks, especially a drink like a Mint Julep to cut down on preparation time there. The syrup can also be added to non-alcoholic drinks to add sweetness and minty botanicals.