Argh, A Restaurant Drink, Limey!

I have mixed feelings about Saba Blue Water Cafe. We went when they first opened, when the warehouse district was just on the edge of being the urban scene it truly is now. OK - I lie. It was pretty hipster then, but I was better paid, better dressed, and much younger (but never a hipster - swear!). They were one of the few places in town that knew what a Mojito was, and theoretically, how to make it. I tried to make one at home, but couldn't really figure out the "muddling" bit, so I wanted to compare it to a "real" one. I'm still no expert, but I decided I like margaritas more.

Mojito

• 3-4 fresh lime quarters (like, take an organic lime? and wash it? and then cut it into quarters? Right?)
• 10-12 fresh sprigs of mint (and I used spearmint, which is what I had at the time. There are so many types of mint, I bet this could really change the drink. I bet lemon verbena would also make a killer replacement. Mmmm. I love verbena.)
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup (easy enough to make - but it takes an hour. Don't burn yourself, and you may want to consider adding flavoring to it if you think you want the extra kick
• 1 1/2 ounces white rum (I'm not a big rum drinker, and the boy likes spiced rum - I'd probably just use plain Bacardi, but if you know more about rum, get what you like. There's tons of rums - lemon infusions, raspberry flavored. I bet vodka would also work fine and I really like my Hanger One vodka)
• soda water (not coke, just the carbonated water stuff you get at the drink mixer section)
• Ice

Add limes, mint and simple syrup together in a 12-ounce glass. Pestle (really - that's what it says. Probably mean "muddle") together with 5-10 downward twisty motions (or muddle, if you know how to do that). Add the ice to the rim of the glass, and alternate adding rum and soda until the glass is full. Shake two or three times (the glass - in a shaker if you were smart and put the ingredients in a shaker glass) and serve. Don't forget to strain the mint leaves. No one thinks green stuff in your teeth is attractive.