Piña Mojito

It's 2018. It's no secret that we live in an age where drinks bring people together. We meet up in bars, pubs, and house parties and these beverages somehow facilitate adult human socialization... they're quite the catalyst. Naturally, we must appreciate the classics, but in doing so, we must also realize the room for innovation.

I have personally had an interest in cocktails, and thus mixology, for a few years now, but I would consider myself an amateur mixologist at best. That said, it does not (necessarily) take a master or a professional in a field to spark great new ideas!

I would say there was an elaborate plan in creating this recipe, but that's not true, and I'm not that creative. This cocktail idea was nothing more than a happy accident resulting from combining elements of two drinks that I love into a new concoction.

As a big pineapple fan, it was easy for me to want to draw on the wonderful flavours stemming from this tart, sweet fruit. Naturally, a piña colada or pineapple juice with coconut rum would be the first thought of someone looking to indulge in pineapple goodness.

I'm also a big fan of mint and think that, when used properly, it can really enhance a dish, or for our purposes here, a cocktail. Non-traditional mojitos are therefore a go-to for me (such as a berry and spiced rum mojitos, which I had elsewhere and can absolutely not take credit for -- but it's delicious!!). Thus, I devised the piña mojito.

The piña mojito is the best of both worlds for today's novel drink connoisseurs. As implied via its namesake, this refreshing drink confidently marries the best elements of a classic piña colada and mojito in a refreshing drink that is perfect to wrap up the summer with. That said, let's get to the meat and pineapples of this article.

Pictured: A playful blend of yellows and greens that complement our bright summer colours.

So now it's Saturday night. It's been a LONG and stressful week, and you're excited to head over to a friend's house and finally unwind for game night. Dinner is covered, and snacks have been taken care of.

Role call then comes to you.

"Hey, can you pick up [insert beer/wine/coolers] for tonight?".

Typical. But YOU want to shake things up. You guys always get the same stuff every time. AND you haven't had a nice cocktail in quite a while. You know what needs to be done.

Think -- you have an unopened bottle of rum that you've been DYING to use, and some leftover pineapple from your morning smoothie routine. You have soda and limes in your fridge. There's a grocery store right next to the liquor store, so picking up the rest of the ingredients will be a breeze.

Your time is now, my good friend.

You've read this far. Here's how to make the elusive piña mojito.

• 1.5 ounces of your favourite coconut rum (or a little more, if you like it stronger)
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 6 muddled mint leaves
• 2-3 tsp simple syrup
• juice of one lime
• fill to cup size with soda water/club soda
• (optional) splash of spiced rum for a little kick

You now know the secret. You have the tools. Acquire the ingredients. Become a cocktail legend.

Well... at least in YOUR mind. Now, go forth and make piña mojito dreams come true!

PS

In all seriousness, I had a lot of fun writing this article, but I do sincerely hope you all enjoy this cocktail.