Strawberry Mojito

Week 376. Year 8. Tommy is 41. The Fourth of July cookout on Claycut Drive — the annual institution, the neighborhood gathering, the brisket or the hog or the ribs on the pit and the thirty or forty people in the driveway and Carl at the door and the sparklers at dusk. Colette (14) in high school, painting. The summer is loud and hot and full.

Made grilled whole fish this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Encore là — still here.

The fish was the main event — it always is — but a cookout on Claycut Drive in July with thirty or forty people in the driveway calls for something cold in your hand while the pit does its work. This strawberry mojito is what I’ve been mixing for that crowd: bright from the lime, sweet from the berries, alive with mint, and just festive enough to feel like it belongs next to sparklers at dusk. It’s the kind of drink that keeps people in the driveway a little longer, which is exactly the point.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 10 min | Servings: 1

Ingredients

4–5 fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
8–10 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 oz fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 oz simple syrup
2 oz white rum
2–3 oz club soda, to top
Ice, as needed
Lime wheel and strawberry slice, for garnish

Instructions

Muddle the fruit and mint. Add the strawberries and mint leaves to the bottom of a sturdy glass or cocktail shaker. Muddle firmly until the strawberries are fully broken down and the mint is fragrant — about 20–30 seconds. Don’t shred the mint; you want the oils, not the bitterness.
Add the liquids. Pour in the lime juice, simple syrup, and white rum over the muddled mixture. Stir to combine.
Strain over ice. If using a shaker, add a handful of ice, shake briefly (5–8 seconds), and strain into a tall glass packed with fresh ice. If mixing directly in the glass, add ice now and stir well.
Top with club soda. Pour club soda over the top and give the drink one gentle stir to incorporate without losing the carbonation.
Garnish and serve. Tuck a fresh mint sprig, a lime wheel, and a strawberry slice onto the rim. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Strawberry Mojito — The Drink That Belongs on Claycut Drive in July