Triple Berry Mojitos | How Sweet It Is

Triple Berry Mojitos.

July 15, 2011

I’ve decided that we’ve all had enough to eat this week.

Plus, it’s Friday. Friday activities are supposed to be funner than just eating. Yes, funner. You know you say funner.

Friday calls for wearing jeans and stuff. Goofing off at work. Sneaking out early. Drinking cocktails and possibly forgetting what you did come Saturday morning. Normal things that all real people do. Real, fun life.

By now you probably figured out what I did with those six pints of berries.

I mean, really… what does one do with all those berries? Eating them plain is just… boring. Baking them in cobblers and crisps and bars and muffins is an awesome idea… if you didn’t bake three batches of cookies since Wednesday. I don’t like to be like anyone else. So I did the next best thing!

Or obviously… the only best thing.

I reallllllly love mojitos. Margaritas are my favorite wild-and-crazy, sorta girly, I want to have a draaaank drink, but mojitos come in at a close second. Classic mojitos taste okay but aren’t really my thing. I much prefer them infused with some sort of fruit – juicy stuff like mangos and coconuts and pineapple.

What does this all mean? Besides that I should live on a tropical island.

What I really like about mojitos is that it’s kinda difficult to have a bad one. Margaritas can be so hit or miss with gross concentrates and pale green sours mix, but mojitos pretty much have to be made with rum + sugar + lime + mint. All ingredients sent from the heavens. Yes please.

I think it would be an excellent idea if you stirred up these little gems and sipped them tonight… on your porch… in the dwindling sunlight. Smell the fresh mint. Sit too close to someone you like. Eat some pizza.

That’s totally a perfect Friday right? I’m jealous because I don’t have a porch. Someone hook me up with an invite please.

What is not an excellent idea is making four mojitos to photograph for your invisible internet friends at 11 o’clock in the morning. Alone. Yep. Allllll by your lonesome. And seriously, there is no way one can let all that good stuff go to waste. I sipped a bunch. Felt a little guilty. Obviously not guilty enough to stop. Took some great naps.

But I did it all for you. So you can suck down one or five of these sparklers tonight and get your groove on. I got your back.

Triple Berry Mojitos

makes 1 mojito, but is easily quadrupled

6-8 fresh mint leaves

2 1/2 ounces of mint simple syrup

1 ounce of rum

1 1/2 ounces of club soda

2 ounces of mixed berry juice

the juice of one lime

fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries

In the bottom of a glass, add 1 ounce of simple syrup and the mint leaves. Muddle with a muddler or use the clean bottom of something blunt, like a screwdriver! Add ice to the glass, a few berries, and pour rum, syrup, berry juice, lime and club soda over top. Mix with a long spoon or knife and serve with an additional sprig of mint.

Note: depending on the sweetness of your fruit, you may want to add more/less simply syrup, so I suggest tasting as you go. Same with the rum – add more if you like your drinks strong. Also – if you simply want a blueberry, raspberry, OR strawberry mojito, follow the instructions using only that one fruit.

Mixed Berry Juice

6 large strawberries

1/3 cup blueberries

1/3 cup raspberries

1/4 cup water

Add berries to a blender with water and pulse until pureed. Pour through a strainer and press juice out with a spoon. You may need to add a bit of additional water if your fruit is not very ripe and juicy. You can also use a juicer to extract the juice, but I find that it produces much less juice. You can also simply mash your fruit, but I did not want seeds throughout my drink.

Mint Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

10 fresh mint leaves

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat just until it bubbles. Turn down to low for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for 15-20 minutes.