Mango Mojito

For Saturday night, I thought it'd be fun to make a cocktail recipe.

Just to be sure, I double checked and rum is indeed vegan. The only alcoholic beverages that you have to be careful of are wine and beer, which are often - though not always - filtered using animal substances. These can include gelatine, egg whites and even, horrifically enough, bull's blood, although I'm told this is illegal in France and the United States. But as far as liquor goes, you're pretty much always safe with the exception of Campari (colored with beetle shells) and anything obvious like butterscotch flavored liquor or Irish Cream (man, do I miss Bailey's...)

But Bacardi rum? Vegan.

To whip up this refreshing cocktail, first make a simple syrup by combining two cups of sugar and one cup of water over medium-high heat for five minutes, or until the sugar is melted. Be careful with processed sugar, fellow vegans! The white granulated stuff has been ground down by animal bones. However, sugar is vegan if you buy the "raw" variety (ever growing in popularity and ever-easier to find in packets at coffee shops) or the organic sugars such as turbindo (check your local organic grocery store).

Set aside the simple syrup mixture and line up however many glasses you need for however many thirsty cocktail drinkers you have. In each glass, squeeze two lime wedges and add five mint leaves. Mash it with the back of a spoon for about thirty seconds. Add 1/4 cup of club soda, 3 tablespoons of rum, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, and 1 tablespoon mango nectar to each glass. Serve over ice.

Each drink as 100 calories.

Cheers and happy Saturday!

Cost:

sugar $3.19

lime $0.50

mint $1.99

club soda $1.00

rum $5.00

mango nectar $$2.00