Wondering what to drink on National Slurpee Day, July 11? Dumping vodka into a Big Gulp sized Slurpee from your local 7-Eleven might sound like a good idea, but we have standards to uphold here at The Drunkard’s Almanac. We do have an answer for you, though, because it’s also National Mojito Day. That, of course, means it’s time for a Frozen Mojito as Drink of the Day.
Slurpees and Mojitos
Every July 11, the 7-Eleven chain honors its unofficial birthday on 7-11 by declaring Slurpee Day and handing out free Slurpees. This custom began around 2002. By now there’s no telling how many swimming pools worth of cherry-flavored slush they’ve served up to thirsty patrons.
Slurpees originated in 1966 when 7-Eleven made a licensing deal with The Icee Company to sell their carbonated slushies. Forty percent of all Slurpees are sold during June, July and August, and Manitoba, Canada has been declared the Slurpee Capital of the World. 7-Eleven stores in Manitoba sell an average of close to 189,000 Slurpees per month. By our calculations that means every resident of Manitoba consumes 1.7 Slurpees annually. We suspect the cold climate renders them immune to brain freeze.
The Mojito, of course, is a traditional Cuban drink in the family of highballs. It emerged in the 17th century but just how is the subject of debate. Some attribute it to remedies for tropical diseases used by South American indigenous people. Others credit Sir Francis Drake as he bumbled around the Caribbean. Still others look to African slaves working the sugar fields in Cuba. Either way, Havana is generally accepted as its birthplace.
The Mojito has obvious staying power and been around longer than the Slurpee. Many claim it was Hemingway’s favorite drink, but scholars are skeptical. Philip Greene, a Hemingway AND cocktail expert, is particularly dubious as he notes in To Have and Have Another. After all, we know Hemingway eschewed sugar as noted with his favorite Daiquiri, the Papa Doble, which is quite distinct from our basic Daiquiri.
Either way, the Mojito is extremely popular and regularly listed among the most popular cocktails in the world for any given year.
The Frozen Mojito
We don’t know who first froze a Mojito, but we suspect it was someone who realized 7-Eleven doesn’t have Slurpees for drinkers. But necessity being the mother of invention led to several obvious solutions, among them the Frozen Mojito. It’s largely the same as an ordinary Mojito, just substituting extra ice for the soda water and spinning the whole thing up in the blender.
Frozen Mojito
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 4 oz White rum
- 2 oz Fresh lime juice
- 1½ oz Simple syrup
- 12 Mint leaves
- 2 cups Crushed ice
- Garnish: lime wheel, mint sprig
Instructions
- Add lime juice, simple syrup and mint leaves to blender. Pulse to mix.
- Add rum and ice.
- Pulse until combined and slushy.
- Pour.
- Drink.
- Rinse and repeat
