Summer Bevies

Boyfriend and I like to have a drink. In Vermont, its easy for us to enjoy a local craft-brew like Switchback, Magic Hat, Hill Farmstead, Otter Creek, and many many more. Vermont has become something of a craft beer lover's paradise. On Long Island, we have discovered Blue Point, Long Ireland, and Brooklyn as some of our local staples. There are noticeably fewer options here, but the market is expanding and we look forward to discovering more beer close to home.

We recently took a trip to California and enjoyed exploring the wines of Sonoma County. I had always enjoyed a good glass of wine but the trip certainly gave Boyfriend the tools necessary to recognize a red or white that he likes.

Now that the weather is heating up, when I come home from work I'm looking for something cool and refreshing before we start cooking dinner. The solution has been inspired from Mojito Mondays at Drink in Burlington, VT where my girlfriends and I would frequently end up last summer. I'm sure others have had it elsewhere but it took me a long time to crave any other cocktail besides the Coconut Mojito. Over a full glass of ice, the mint, lime, and coconut send me into vacation-mode and the simple syrup makes it feel like I'm drinking dessert. So now we've started making them at home and I have yet to achieve the perfect replica but I'm getting there. 

The shopping list for my version includes: coconut rum, club soda, and limes. In my herb garden I of course have been giving extra attention to my sweet mint plants so that I have plenty of the fresh herb for my drinks. We don't put sugar or simple syrup in our version in an effort to make it a little less naughty and to be honest, I don't miss it too much since the mint is sweet on its own. Since I have dozens of Ball jars hanging around, one of those suckers has become key to shaking up the muddled mint, ice, fresh squeezed lime juice, and rum before I pour the club soda over top and it give each a light stir. Obviously now I'm going to have to go mix up a batch and say "cheers" to this hot, muggy, Summer air.