Bajito
Rum isn’t a spirit I typically gravitate toward. Maybe I had too many gross frozen daiquiris when I was younger but when I’m looking at a cocktail list, I tend to skip the drinks made with rum without much consideration. I’m not sure why but rum seems to have a negative connotation, like maybe it’s considered too sweet or not as sophisticated as other spirits. In reality, there are a lot of interesting cocktails that call for rum so let’s start exploring them, shall we? I pulled out my copy of “Mr. Boston, Official Bartender’s and Party Guide,” and made a list. (This is tough work, but someone’s gotta do it!) The first drink I made is called the Bajito, which is very similar to a mojito but has basil in addition to mint. Mr. Boston’s recipe calls for dark rum and I decided to use Plantation Pineapple Rum for my cocktail. The recipe calls for 3 ounces of rum shaken with muddled basil, mint, lime, and simple syrup and then strained into an ice-filled rocks glass. This makes for a very potent drink, which would be fine if I was just sitting on the patio after dinner and wanting a sipping beverage. I found it to be a bit much while I was trying to make dinner and deal with kids so I poured mine into a collins glass and topped it with soda water. I’ll let you decide how you want your cocktail! I really like the combination of basil and mint which works well with the pineapple rum. One note on muddling, I muddle the lime but I don’t muddle my herbs. I coarsely chop them and add to the shaker. I read something about how too much muddling can release a bitter, dirty flavor and I tend to agree. Have you ever had a mojito where the mint tastes sort of dirty? That could convince a person that they don’t like mojitos entirely! The goal is to capture that fresh fragrance and flavor without turning the herbs brown. Once you make the cocktail, garnish with fresh mint and basil leaves so you get the added fragrance with each sip. The Bajito is both herbal and tropical and tastes like summer. Enjoy!
Bajito
Ingredients:
3 oz dark rum, such as Plantation Pineapple
4 fresh mint leaves, chopped
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
5 slices of fresh lime
1 tbs simple syrup
ice
soda water
mint and basil leaves, as garnish
Method:
In a shaker, muddle the lime slices with the simple syrup. Add the chopped herbs and rum with ice. Shake until cold and strain into an ice-filled glass. Top with soda water, if desired. Garnish with fresh basil and mint.
