cocktails and trivia

Just as I was drifting into Slumberland last night, I had a thought. Grabbing the pad and pen on the nightstand, I scribbled these words - mojito, Moscow mule, mint julep - then sailed off into dreams.
Why did I write those words?
Good question! Glad you asked!
On Tuesdays, I sometimes attend the trivia game at a local sports bar in my neck of the woods. Barbara and Sandy (two of my NK! friends) are on the Drunken Noodles team there, as well as a guy from a Saturday night dining group we all sometimes attend. One of my former students is even on the team!
Believe it or not, our team tends to win 2nd and 3rd place prize money on a pretty regular basis at this trivia game!
Last night, the question asked for the name of the Russian cocktail made using vodka and mint. Fortunately, one of the teammates had looked up the evening's "free answer" on the Trivia Nation's website: Moscow Mule. This had to be the question that matched that answer... right?
And it was!
Hurray!
I wondered aloud if the drink might be akin to a mojito, but no one seemed to know.
On to the next question, please!
And I thought no more about it until I was almost asleep.
Now you're wondering about the cocktail, too, aren't you?
Sure you are!
Well, wonder no more!
The Mojito, generally regarded as Cuban in origin, contains rum, sugar water (aka simple syrup), crushed mint, and lime. A mango-enhanced recipe for this "smashed" beverage can be found here, as well as a link to the more traditional version. Try them - they'll help ward off scurvy, just as they did hundreds of years ago!
The Moscow Mule, created in New York City, is fashioned from vodka, sugar water (in the form of ginger beer), mint, and lime. Here's a few recipes to try at your local bar. Vitamin C and ginger, too - sounds like a healthy drink to me!
What about the Mint Julep? Being a Georgia peach, my brain also wondered about the kinship of the above with this Southern traditional cocktail. Did your brain try to draw that linkage, too? Well, the only thing missing is the lime. Kentucky bourbon is a must. Check out a good version here.
So, now you know, folks. Three drinks with "m" names, all containing mint and the ethanol of choice. And two of them are good for sailors with no other source for citrus.
(smile!)