When we were in Puerto Rico there was a young woman making mojitos from a cart on the street.

She used what looked like a small baseball bat to squish key limes, sugar cane, and Bacardi rum right in front of us.

In the heat of the island sun, we were drinking them as fast as she was producing them.

Almost faster.

Sure, it’s perfectly acceptable to drink them all year round, but mojitos always remind us of that trip….

….and summer.

Here’s everything you need to make mojitos at home:

• Fresh Mint (Plant Some, it’s like a Weed)
• Sugar
• Limes
• A Big Mason Jar (Don’t Waste Money on a Cocktail Shaker)
• A Wooden Muddler (Invest in One of These Instead)
• White Rum – Bacardi, Preferably
• Club Soda

Add a dozen, or so, mint leaves to your Mason jar.

Juice 2 limes on top of the mint, and then add the rinds – loosely chopped.

Add 2 heaping teaspoons of sugar.

Then a splash of club soda.

Now use the muddler to “muddle” the mint and limes. Just push down gently and crush everything a few times. This really releases the mint and lime oils.

Now pour in 4 ounces, or maybe a little more, of white rum.

Put the lid tightly on your Mason jar and give everything a good shake.

We have an auto-matic ice maker built into the refrigerator, but these silicone ice trays were too good of an idea to pass up.

I add a few mint leaves to each one……wait a few hours……

…and we have mint-flavored ice cubes.

Perfect squares too.

Fill a couple of glasses with those square, mint ice cubes, pour over the muddled mint/lime/rum mixture……then top off with chilled club soda.

If you aren’t already on a Caribbean island…..

………you’ll feel just like you are.

Happy Summer Cocktail, y’all.