Thirsty Thursday: Mint Ginger Juice

This drink may be a little labor intensive but the payoff is huge. If you can knock out the prep work well before your guests arrive then putting the cocktail together is easy. The Mint Ginger Juice is light, zesty, and hard to sip slowly.

Ingredients
2 ounces rum
1 tablespoon mint syrup
1 teaspoon fresh ginger juice
1 squeeze lemon wedge
Splash tonic water (or soda)

Prep Work
Finely chop one package of mint and add to a measuring pitcher. Add equal parts water and sugar to make the simple syrup. Keep in mind that the longer the mint marinates the better, and the less water you use the stronger the mint syrup will be. If you are going to make more than 6 drinks, buy several packages of mint. For this recipe use about 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. I usually cheat on the sugar a little and use less (shhhh). Muddle the mint, water, and sugar and set aside.

The ginger is the tough part. I tried to make ginger juice with my juicer but it jammed the machine so I use a garlic press (if anyone has a faster technique you better share it). Peel one piece of ginger root then slice it into cubes. Press the ginger like you would garlic and collect the juice in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside.

Slice a few lemons into wedges and remove the seeds.

Now you are ready for your guests! Just layer the ingredients and garnish with a mint leaf or lemon twist. And try making a few of the drinks without using measuring tools. I guarantee that your drink will still be perfect.