The perfect antidote to a bit of the winter blues is a warm climate-inspired cocktail. 

The classic mojito hails from Cuba. Rum is distilled from sugarcane which is grown throughout the Caribbean. Anyone who has mint growing in their garden knows it thrives in warm weather. Pomegranates were first grown in the Middle East as they like a warm and dry climate. You’ll now find them all over the world. And, ginger was first cultivated in Southeast Asia although it has been growing in the Mediterranean for almost two thousand years – both areas associated with warm weather.

Have I got you in the mood for warmer temperatures? A traditional mojito is made with simple syrup (water and sugar). For this recipe, I made a ginger syrup instead – cooking peeled and sliced ginger in sugar and water. You’ll want to make this at least two hours prior to enjoying your cocktail so it has time to steep and cool. The syrup keeps for a month, so you can make it in advance of serving.

The syrup is then muddled with fresh mint in the bottom of a highball (tall) glass. Add to it rum, pomegranate juice and lime juice. The ginger provided a nice spicy contrast to the sweetness of the pomegranate and rum. The syrup on its own is more like the stronger flavor found in ginger beer rather than the milder flavor of ginger ale.  

While we’ve enjoyed a relatively mild winter, it’s definitely still too cold for mint to grow. I was able to find a small plant at my local Wegmans. If that’s not available, you’ll likely find mint with the other cut herbs in the produce section. 

I hope that this cocktail brings a bit of warmth into your home.

Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Note:  Rum is naturally gluten-free/wheat free as it’s derived from sugarcane.  

Pomegranate-Ginger Mojito

 

Pomegranate-Ginger Mojito
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Recipe type: Drink
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
Syrup:
  • 6 ounces ginger
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
Cocktail:
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice (~ ½ lime) (see Notes)
  • 1 ounce ginger syrup
  • 10 fresh mint leaves (plus a sprig for garnish)
  • 2 ounces white rum
  • 2 ounces pomegranate juice
  • Seltzer water
  • Garnish with a mint sprig
Instructions
To make syrup:
  1. Peel ginger and thinly slice.
  2. In a small saucepan, add ginger, sugar and water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Gently simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture steep for an hour.
  4. Strain through a sieve in a container and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes 1-1/2 cups. Syrup keeps for four weeks.
To make cocktail:
  1. In a highball glass, muddle lime juice, ginger syrup and mint leaves.
  2. Fill glass with ice and add rum and pomegranate juice.
  3. Top with seltzer and stir.
  4. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Notes
* Before squeezing limes, heat it in a microwave for about 20 seconds and then rub it back and forth on the counter top. This easy two-step process results in more juice per piece of fruit.
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