As anyone who has ever planted mint knows, if it grows, it grows like mad. I love using mint to make tea or to add to savory dishes, but we now have so much of it that I was dreaming of other things to do with it. I had been thinking of making a mint limeade for a while, but kept forgetting to buy limes.
It wasn't until I bought limes to make mojitos for adult sipping that I had enough on hand to give this a try. All three children got into the act. We squeezed limes, tasted, and squeezed some more. We picked and tore mint, tasted, and went back to the garden for more. Again and again. This is what I love about cooking with my children, watching them collaborate, taste, adjust, taste again, brainstorm, and rejoice in both the process and their final product. When we were done, we had a sticky kitchen counter, and a delicious drink to enjoy on hot, sticky days.
The drink is sweet and tart, with a refreshing burst of freshness from the mint. We topped it with a bit of seltzer because a bubbly drink is just more festive. And of course, everything looks better with an umbrella. It wasn't until we were half way through the process that I realized that we were making a non-alcoholic version of a mojito. I guess the Cuban in them is rubbing off on me.
Mint Limeade
If you would like to make this ahead, you can store the syrup mixture with the mint and lime juice in your refirgerator for several days. Just add the seltzer when you are ready to serve. For those of you who want to turn this into a cocktail, add about a quarter of a cup of rum to each serving.
Makes 4 limeades
10 minutes cooking time
10 minutes preparation time, plus time for cooling
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup mint leaves, torn into pieces
2 cups seltzer water
First make a simple syrup. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water and stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside to cool.
Meanwhile, put the lime juice and mint leaves in a pitcher and mash the mint leaves against the side of the pitcher with a wooden spoon. When the sugar syrup has cooled somewhat, pour it into the pitcher and stir. Let this mixture sit for as much time as you have. The longer it sits, the more intense the flavor will be.
When you are ready to make the limeades, fill a large glass with ice. Add 1/2 cup of the syrup mixture and 1/2 cup of seltzer. Stir and serve imemdiately.
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