The Mojito is rapidly becoming the world's most popular mixed cocktail. It has a long and complex history and was also the second favorite drink of the great Ernest Hemingway - a celebrated imbiber.

Passions appear to run strong on the subject of Mojitos. Starting an argument as to its origins is the kind of thing that gets you dragged into a back alley and thumped. The safest and most likely explanation is that Mojito is a derivation of “mojo”, a sauce containing lime juice in Cuba (don't worry - I looked it up!). The traditional version is made up of five ingredients: spearmint, rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime, and carbonated water. Hemingway, bravely, drank his without sugar, which implies that his taste buds were not quite as acute as his writing skills.

If you want to serve a Mojito then you have a small problem - you need fresh spearmint, as well as any other flavorings you fancy. Spearmint may grow like a weed in Europe, but it is hard to find year round and has to be absolutely fresh to make the drink work. Spearmint gives the Mojito a strong herbal flavor that is both vital to its authenticity and in balancing the rum flavor.

The classic Mojito is a bit on the bland side for our modern taste buds, so this is where pre-made mixers come in. Mixers make it very simple to prepare a Mojito, with predictable and consistent results. The variety of the flavors available make it a drink that can appeal to all ages, not just the curmudgeonly writers in our midst. Oh and Hemingway's favorite drink? - a daiquiri.