One of the great pleasures of summertime is enjoying a cold, refreshing drink with friends, ideally outdoors under the summer breeze. And nothing screams summer like a mojito! If you are hosting a party this summer, make it special by setting up a mojito bar. It’s fun and everybody will enjoy having a delicious cocktail made to order!

Originated in Havana, the mojito is the most popular Cuban drink and consists of five basic ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, club soda and mint leaves. The ingredients are lightly mixed with a muddler, as to release the essential oils of the mint, making for a fragrant and delicious drink.

Like the margarita, the mojito is a very versatile drink that can be made with many different fruits. So get creative!

Here are some tips for setting a mojito bar to impress:

Arrange your essentials in a visually appealing way: Set a big bowl of limes, a crystal vase with fresh mint leaves in water and a small bowl of sugar cubes.

Get good quality rum: the rum is the base of the mojito and the better the rum, the better your mojito will taste.

Have your tools handy: make sure to have a sugar cube holder, a muddler and a mixing spoon, to be used exactly in that order.

Ice Ice baby: the mojito needs to be really cold, so have a silver bucket filled with ice at your bar and refilled constantly.

Give your bar a pop of color: decorate your bar with flowers and also fruits that can be added to the mojito, like mango, watermelon, passion fruit, raspberry and strawberry.

Make a mojito list: make it fun for your guests by letting them choose from a classic mojito or a tropical flavored one with the fruit of their choice. Here are just some ideas: Mango Mojito, Mixed Berry Mojito, Rhubarb and Strawberry Mojito, Passion Fruit Mojito or take it the next level by offering frozen mojitos, like a Watermelon Mojito Cooler.

Remember, presentation is key. Serve your mojitos in a tall crystal glass and garnish with mint leaves. So get inspired for your next party, with so many fruits available, the sky is the limit. Salud!