I didn’t discover mojitos until about five or six years ago, but it is now one of my favorite summertime cocktails. I grow my own mint (see my recent post Grow Your Own), which is an essential part of this recipe. I thought the traditional mojitos (with rum, lime, mint, sugar and soda water) were great, but then I had a blood orange mojito at a poolside bar in Naples, Fla., that was stellar. It was made with Bacardi O rum, blood oranges, mint, orange juice, lime, sugar and soda water. It was like drinking liquid sunshine.

However, the best mojito I ever drank was last year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was a delicious and refreshing pineapple concoction to die for. I have tried to replicate the recipe, and think I’ve done a good job.

Ingredients (2 cocktails)

• 8-10 fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces
• ½ cup fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• Juice from half a lime (medium)
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 3 shots of rum (I used Don Q Limon, but any plain rum will do.)
• Club soda

Preparation

Put the pineapple chunks, mint leaves and sugar in a cocktail  shaker and muddle/mash until pineapple is crushed. I bought my muddler, which is one of my favorite bar tools, at Crate and Barrel – if you don’t have one, the handle end of a wooden spoon works well.

Add the pineapple juice, lime juice and rum.

Fill the shaker with ice and shake well. Now is the time to take a small taste to see if you want to add more sugar or mint. Pour into glasses, add more ice if needed.

Top with the club soda and stir. Garnish with fresh pineapple and mint. Best enjoyed overlooking a beach or lake with family and friends.

Eat, drink and be merry!