Thanks to Florida’s nearly year-round heatwave, drinking a mojito is acceptable pretty much whenever one gets the urge. Of course, like so many things in life, not all mojitos are created equal, and some cost way more than they should. The best Hemingway-approved cocktail deals we found this year were the $5 “handmade mojitos” served at Carmine’s in Ybor City. Fresh mint leaves, crushed with mortar and pestle; a glass with a small ice cube; Ronrico rum (no need to upgrade unless you’re a rum snob); powdered sugar and a squirt of soda water, topped with a mint leaf and a lime wedge. Delish, and potent!
This article appears in Sep 12-18, 2007.