The Old Cuban Recipes

Steps:

• Muddle the mint leaves with the rum, lime juice, Simple Syrup, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, cover, and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. (In general, the drink is ready when the shaker mists up.) Pour the muddled liquid into a chilled champagne flute, holding back the ice, but letting some of the mint leaves fall into the glass. Add enough Champagne to almost fill the glass to the top. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Drink.;
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. (Alternatively, heat in the microwave.) Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

Steps:

• Gently bruise the mint with lime juice in a shaker using a muddler or wooden spoon. Add syrup, rum, bitters and a big handful of ice, and shake until well chilled. Strain into a coupe or cocktail glass and add Champagne.
• With a knife, slit the lime slice halfway through and pierce it with the mint sprig. Perch it on the rim of the glass.

Steps:

• Combine rum, lime juice, simple syrup, bitters, and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds, or until the shaker is frosted on the outside. Double strain into a coupe and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a mint leaf.

Steps:

• Gently muddle lime juice with 8 mint leaves in a shaker using a wooden spoon or cocktail muddler.
• Add rum, simple syrup, bitters, and a handful of ice. Shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain into a cocktail glass and top with Champagne. Garnish with a slice of lime and the remaining mint leaf.