If you can get your hands on some, the beverage director at The Bower in New Orleans suggests using cachaça, a sugarcane-based Brazilian spirit, for a more authentic flavor. “If it doesn’t seem sweet enough, you can replace the soda water with Sprite,” he adds.

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Mojito

Yields: 1 cocktail

• Several sprigs of fresh mint
• 1-2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 2 oz light rum
• 4 oz soda water

Muddle the mint, sugar and lime juice in the bottom of a cocktail glass. Stir in rum and top off with soda water.