Fresh and Effervescent Mint and Ginger Lemonade
It was a brutally hot day, and despite best efforts to the contrary, including a striped top and a crisp white circle skirt, our heroine was melting into the blacktop of the Brooklyn Flea. But lo, hark! Spotted in the distance was an oasis of sorts. There, tucked between the vintage tin signs and 1930s feed sacks was salvation: Brooklyn Soda Works. She felt too wilted in the punishing June heat to dilly dally with otherwise delightfully sounding flavor mash-ups like salty plum or jalapeno grapefruit. She needed pure refreshment, and fast. A cup of fizzy ginger lemonade was pulled from a rigged-up cooler keg combo (“How do they do that,” she wondered?) and placed before her. A few sweaty dollars seemed a small price to pay for such an expedient rescue mission. She sipped, she sighed, she was saved.
Fresh Mint and Ginger Lemonade
adapted from Bon Appétit
Serves 4
Replacing the seltzer with champagne would make kind of a brilliant cocktail, yes? Or make as directed and try adding vodka or gin as, I confess, I did last night while watching The Bachelorette. Bottom’s up!
1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup chopped fresh ginger
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups (about) seltzer or club soda
Combine chopped mint, ginger, and agave nectar in medium bowl. Add boiling water, and let steep 30 minutes. Strain into 4-cup glass measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Add lemon juice and enough seltzer to measure 4 cups total. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Fill glasses with ice cubes, and pour lemonade over top. Garnish with mint leaves and lemon slices and serve. Cool way down.
Emily C.: Oh dear, I want this so much. Curse a dreary day and dorm kitchens!1 year ago
E.: This looks brilliantly delicious! The weather is finally LOVELY here in DC, but this is going to be my celebratory 4th drink for sure. Just that ginger-mint simple syrup will have a ton of applications, including a good rif on a Dark and Stormy with some rum.1 year ago
E, Definitely. I almost modified the directions more to say to just keep the simple syrup around for sparkling lemonade or cocktails whenever. It’s so delicious, it should be doubled!1 year ago
Lindsay: This weekend I was drinking mojitos made with ginger beer. Similar, and HIGHLY recommended!1 year ago
Julia: Mmm, sounds delicious. Dark rum might be a good addition, too. But what is agave nectar? Is it like honey?1 year ago
Julia, You can definitely substitute honey. Agave nectar has a low-glycemic index and won’t cause a sugar spike or sugar rush, so some people prefer it, and it incorporates really well into cold drinks.1 year ago
Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams: Yum! This looks completely amazing.1 year ago
Kishori: This is so timely because I just recently had watermelon ginger lemonade that was seriously the best thing ever, and I’ve been trying to figure out this week how to recreate it at home. This looks just as good.1 year ago
michaela: have been loving citrus and mint cocktails this summer. this is net on my list!1 year ago
Laura: Wow! I love mint, ginger and lemons.
Thank you. This will be just the thing for the heat wave headed for Switzerland this weekend!1 year ago
Cadi: Oh heavens – made with champagne and served in a glass with a sugared rim and named a Sparkler – this just made my cocktail hour lineup for the 4th of July. Thank you!1 year ago
A SPARKLER! GENIUS! I absolutely love it.1 year ago
Sara Rose: Mmmmmmm….I need seconds of this please.1 year ago
Ruth: Sounds yummy! Silly question – is the cold water in the instructions the seltzer? (I said it was silly.)1 year ago
Ruth, Not a dumb question––I forgot to alter the directions at that point. The “cold water” is the seltzer. I’ll fix the directions now!1 year ago
Jaci: This looks so amazing and refreshing, I wish I had one right now1 year ago
Rachel: Hi, I commented on your fb page. I’m fan of your blog for awhile now and I found you on hyggehouse.
I tried this recipe with rum and it was great and I also like your couscous recipe as well.
Thanks Rachel1 year ago
bluejeangourmet: oooh lovely! I have been all about the cocktails this summer and love it when they taste just as good plain.1 year ago
Alison: What a delightful post–the writing is as refreshing as the drink described!1 year ago
Leah: I improvised with what I had on hand, because I couldn’t wait long enough to go buy lemons.
I have lavender on my porch right now, so I threw those leaves in with the mint and ginger. Then I added that mixture to a martini glass and topped it with gin, limoncello, and club soda. Top notch.26 weeks ago