Pomelo Mojito

A pomelo or “citrus maxima” is a citrus fruit similar to a grapefruit. I don’t think I ever saw one until I moved to California.  Pomelos are native to South and Southeast Asia and are popular during the mid-autumn or mooncake festival. Pomelos are typically large, pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet white, pink, or red flesh and a thick outer rind. The fruit itself tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit–but lacking its bitterness. This lack of bitterness is what made me think to use it for a mojito.

A mojito is a favorite drink of mine and Ernest Hemingway.  But not all mojitos are created equally, and if I’m served one with flat soda I honestly can’t drink it. A traditional mojito cocktail is made with just five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint. It is considered a low-alcohol content cocktail in comparison to many others. The traditional Cuban recipe calls for spearmint or yerba Buena (a mint variety popular in Cuba).   The mint and the sugar are there to compliment the rum making it a light and refreshing cocktail.

For those who can’t remember, the mojito’s sudden spike in popularity happened in the early 2000s, today even restaurant chains like Applebees carry multiple variations of the thirst-quencher.  By 2014, the mojito was considered the most popular drink in both Britain and France, I think that says a lot about this tasty drink.

Although I love a traditional mojito, this drink is fun to tinker with. The pomelo seemed like the perfect addition and their looming presence in the grocery store finally got the best of me. My pomelo mojito is one tasty cocktail. Still light and refreshing, but with a bit more depth and fruity flavor.  Although not required, I use Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum for my recipe, which is fantastic.  This twist on a classic works well in my eyes and may just become my new go-to cocktail this summer.