Custom Drink Muddlers (+ the Perfect Mojito Recipe)

Its summertime, and you know what that means......no not mosquitos- the bat house you built should take care of those.....it means mojitos!

But before you start making my favorite (and Hemingway's favorite) mixed drink, you'll need something to crush, mash, and muddle those mint leaves. I will show you how to make your very own quick, easy, and custom muddler.

I must give credit to my good friend Daniel Warren for coming up with the wood dowel muddler idea; I just upgraded it. 

I hope you enjoy, and please vote for me in the Pocket Sized Contest by clicking "vote" above!

To make your very own muddler, you will need: 

• 1 section of wooden dowel (about 7 inches, depending on your preference)
• 1 Dremmel tool
• 1 bottle of Butcher block conditioner, or food grade wax/sealant
• 1 or 2 steady hands
• 1 good eye

The first step is to determine how long you want your muddler to be. I found that about 7'' was a good length for the cups I had.

Then, get to sawing! 

I made 4. They make good gifts. 

1. Use your dremmel or sandpaper to sand down the rough edges 
2. Make your design. I saw a muddler somewhere that had a star shaped design on the tip, and wanted to replicate that. 
3. For my design, I used a sanding bit to carve out notches to distinguish a star some and a cross on the others. 

You can add some additional work to the handle if desired. For some of mine, I simply sanded the top and rounded it off. 
On others I carved a little groove near the top to distinguish a handle. 

On one, I made a neat, but accidental swirl by burning the wood with the sanding bit.

Before you use your muddler, it is a good idea to coat it with food grade sealant or wax. I found mine at Home Depot.

Apply a layer of wax/ conditioner and let it stand for at least 20 minutes. Wipe off any excess and buff with a cloth. Repeat 2-3 times for maximum sealability. 

Use your new muddler to make something tasty. Here is the Mojito recipe I use (it is perfect):

• 5-8 mint leaves ( or 2-3 of our garden giant mint leaves)
• 1 lime wedge
• 1-2oz rum (I prefer dark, but only had gold at the time)
• 2 splashes of aromatic bitters
• 1oz simple syrup (approx. 1 part water, 1 part sugar) 
• 2oz soda water

Muddle the mint leaves with the lime juice. Add the rum, bitters, and simple syrup. Add soda water and ice. Enjoy, and repeat.
(I must give credit to the Warren Clan for this recipe)