Even saying the word "mojito" has a party ring to it, and lord knows we could all do with a laugh in this summer of doom.
So homemade cocktails are the thing; why pay a preposterous €15 in a bar when you can produce a jug of them at home and have people giggling in the garden? A jug of Pimms Cup loaded with fruit and mint and topped up with ginger ale is a current favourite. Sangria is a very good drink in recessionary times, as it makes a bottle of wine go farther. But we also like mojitos, and the Bacardi Mojito kits you can buy in supermarkets just now make a good gift to bring to an on-again, off-again barbecue. They come with a bottle of Bacardi, sugar syrup, Pellegrino sparkling water, a muddler, a measure, two glasses and drinking straws. All you need to add is mint (lots of), lime and ice. Kind of like getting a chemistry set for Christmas.
Two warnings: all that muddled mint tends to stick to your teeth, which is not a good look. Secondly, mojitos are LOADED with sugar, so you can expect your guests to get hyper-active pretty promptly.
You'll find the mojito kits in Superquinn, Tesco, Supervalu and Dunnes Stores, costing €29.99. They come complete with recipe, or you'll find instructions on www.mojito.com.
Patsey Murphy