Blood Orange & Mint Mojito

I have a miniature blood orange tree in my yard and boy does it give me oranges this time of year.  My fruit out weighs the tree by a measure, but I couldn’t be happier.  Fresh juice is the best part of a blood orange tree besides smelling the blossoms right before the fruit arrives.

A fun cocktail to make with the blood orange juice is Mojitos. The recipe is simple and you can vary the alcohol depending upon your tastes.  I prefer bourbon in my mojito and I know you are going to say well, “that’s not a mojito”!  Yes,  anything that is muddled and then sweetened with sugar or simple sugar qualifies as a mojito in my book. Give this recipe a try — it’s fresh, delicious and simple to make.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

4 ounces freshly squeezed blood orange juice, regular orange juice can be substituted

2 ounces bourbon, vodka or tequila

1 ounces simple syrup (combine equal parts sugar and water, boil then cool)

2 sprigs of mint

1 ounce sparkling water

freshly sliced blood oranges

To Prepare:

Combine in a martini shaker juice, bourbon, simple syrup and mint.  With a martini muddler (large wooden stick) press ingredients together in the bottom of the shaker.   Next, pour mixture in an ice filled glass and add sparkling water on top.  Top with sliced orange and more mint.  Enjoy!