Minty goodness

You know the old saying, "When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade?" Well, I don't have any lemons (yet -- fingers crossed the potted Meyer comes through) but I've got mint. Spearmint, to be exact. It's growing like gangbusters, thanks to our wet winter and spring. (Putting it on drip irrigation last fall didn't hurt.)


It's getting lanky and starting to go to seed, so I decided to harvest a bunch and whip up a batch of mojitos.


Here's my current recipe:

6 mint leaves
3 sugar cubes
The juice of one large, fresh Persian lime (1 1/2 - 2 oz)
Ice
2 oz. Treaty Oak rum
4 oz Topo Chico sparkling water

Place the mint in the bottom of a Collins glass. Add the sugar cubes and lime juice and muddle. Fill the glass with ice; add rum and sparkling water and stir. Serves one.

What home-grown goodness is garnishing your beverages this spring?


Words and photos © 2009-2012 Caroline Homer for "The Shovel-Ready Garden". Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.