Not yet named food entry: Not Your Usual Mojito (Philadelphia)

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According to the Bourbon Blog, yesterday was National Rum Day. In honor of the wonderful day (for the Rum AND Madonna’s birthday), I wanted to share with you an intense mojito from the Rum Bar in Philadelphia.
 My friend, Necie, and I decided to go hit a bar to meet up and swap the book for our upcoming bookclub.  It was Monday and I knew that Rum Bar had ½ price mojito special then. We studied the extensive menu of drinks, and I chose the chili coriander mojito.

Instead of mint, this mojito was muddled with cilantro (a.k.a. coriander) leaves in a chili pepper infused rum. It was innocent looking, but this drink packed a punch.  The flavor starts sweet and citrusy from the simple syrup and lime juice as the bouquet of the cilantro grows – the fresh, green, bright taste. Finally the peppery taste joins and intensifies in heat, leaving a warm burn in the back of the throat that slowly dissipates, but does come to an end.  It was a concentrated, intriguing drink for the night.

An innocuous looking mojito
I toned the heat down with my second drink, a West African Booty.  The lure of a drink flavored with grains of paradise, a West African spice that is reminiscent of ginger, was too much to resist. (Not to mention getting to order a drink with the word "booty" in it. Remember it's a rum bar - lots of pirate and sailor references here.) Unfortunately, the heat from the gingery grains of paradise didn't match up with the heat from the chili.  Next time, I'll save the potent chili coriander mojito for last.

Rum Bar is located at 2005 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Logo courtesy of Rum Bar.

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