2100 varieties of Virgin Mojito

It was a spectacular sight, with tables lined up under 6-7 pandals with students adorning glasses of their own specially prepared refreshing Virgin Mojito recipes. Basically, it was prepared by mixing lemon and soda in chilled water. Many ingredients like mint, ginger, etc. were also added to it for taste and variety. The event was an example of just how many variations are possible to create a refreshing mix of Virgin Mojito. The hotel management students of GNA University, Phagwara, Punjab had prepared not 10, not 50, but over 2100 types of Virgin Mojitos. Seeing all this was a wonderful experience in itself. Dr Sanjeev Sood, Adjudicator of Asia Book of Records, verified the claim and after declaring the record, handed over the certificate and medal to the organisers.

Dheeraj Pathak, Head of Department, School of Hospitality, GNAU, Phagwara, said, “In Mexican it is pronounced ‘Mohito’. We call it Virgin Mojito, as it does not contain alcohol, which means it is a delicious and cool soft drink that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The old record was for 300 varieties of Virgin Mojito, while our students have set a new record by preparing 2100 varieties of Virgin Mojito within 45 minutes. Getting a place in the Asia Book of Records is a great honour for our department and the University.”

Sagar Bhatt, Assistant Professor, GNA University, Phagwara, who played a crucial role in planning and coordinating the record-setting attempt, told the India Book of Records magazine, “A total of 15 teams of 30 students from the School of Hospitality were formed to execute the activity. Other students were also deputed to assist the teams. The students had to prepare for six months for this event. All the teams had chosen one or the other theme. Some made mint the main ingredient in their Mojito glasses, some ginger, some turmeric, or lychee syrup. They created a variety of combinations with dry fruits, chili flakes, turmeric, mint, lemon, berries, dragon fruit, spices, etc. They all had slightly different tastes and each had some specialty. The faculty members also supported the teams in preparing and displaying the staggering 2100 varieties of Virgin Mojito at the Phagwara campus of the university on April 20, 2023.”

The School of Hospitality, GNA University, Phagwara, Punjab, set the record for preparing and displaying the maximum flavours of Virgin Mojito in 45 minutes, wherein 30 Students displayed 2100 varieties of the drink.

Mojito is the traditional Cuban punch that is served in summer. Its combination of sweetness, citrus, and herbaceous mint flavours is intended to complement its refreshing taste. When preparing a Mojito, fresh lime juice is added to sugar (or simple syrup) and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves are bruised to release the essential oils. The mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint leaves up from the bottom for better presentation. Finally, the drink is topped with crushed ice and sparkling soda water. Mint leaves and lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

Havana, Cuba, is considered to be the birthplace of the Mojito, although its exact origin is a subject of debate. It was known that the local South American Indians had remedies for various tropical illnesses, so a small boarding party went ashore in Cuba and came back with ingredients for effective medicine. It is interesting to know that Mojito was a favourite drink of author Ernest Hemingway.