Fauxjito

I saw a huge display of one of my favorite Summer beers from back home, Leinenkugel's Summer Shady, the other day at the grocery store, and realized that I'm going to miss drinking this summer.  There's nothing like an ice cold summer beer on a hot afternoon, or a glass of cold, fruity sangria sipped on a porch on a warm summer night.  

I have never really been a big drinker, but I have been known to enjoy an adult beverage or two now and then. I remember the last drink I had. It was a lovely glass of Cabernet enjoyed at our favorite local restaurant, Lola's, with Brad and two of our friends.  The very next day, I found out I was pregnant and thus, my 9 months of teetotalism began. 

Years ago, when we lived in Milwaukee, we went to a Cuban restaurant and I had my first Mojito. It has been one of my favorite cocktails ever since.  Mint, sugar, lime, rum -- what could be better?  We happen to have a huge, overgrown patch of mint in our backyard, so I took it upon myself to whip up a faux-Mojito this afternoon. It's not quite as good as the real thing, but it's pretty darn refreshing.

Fauxjito

fresh mint leaves (maybe 6-8)
lime juice (fresh if you have it, I used the little lime-shaped squeeze bottle and it tastes just fine)
lemon lime flavored soda

-place the mint leaves in the bottom of a pint glass. Muddle them with a spoon until they are a bit broken down and you can smell the deliciousness.
-add a couple of squirts of lime juice (maybe 2 to 3 Tbps).
-fill the glass about 1/2 way with soda.
-add ice, then top off the glass with more soda if you'd like.
-stir and enjoy!

You could absolutely muddle the mint with sugar, as you do in a regular Mojito, and use seltzer water instead, but I took the easy way out.

I'm going to experiment with other herbs that I have in my garden, like basil and lavender, this summer, as well as maybe adding fruit. I had a strawberry basil Mojito once in Pittsburgh that was incredibly good.  Maybe blueberry and lavender? Or peach and basil?  The possibilities are endless.