The other day, I cohosted a barbecue so, of course, I served a signature cocktail. As an added challenge, the barbecue was actually a baby shower, and the guest of honor was pregnant. So I searched for a recipe that would be just as refreshing without booze as with it.
I dug this recipe out of my recipe file, ripped out of InStyle [1] magazine years ago and just waiting for its moment. It's great for big groups since it can be made in large batches, and I like that it uses vodka instead of the usual rum, since I have a lot of friends who find rum off-putting. It's very tart and sufficiently sweet, and without the vodka, it's just a minty homemade lemonade. To get the recipe, .
InStyle magazine
Ingredients
1/2 cup mint leaves, plus mint sprigs for garnish
1 cup sugar syrup (recipe follows)
5 cups club soda
4 cups vodka
4 cups fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup superfine sugar
Directions
- To make the sugar syrup, heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water over low heat, stirring with wooden spoon until sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and increase heat to medium. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool; refrigerate 2 hours before using.
- In large bowl, muddle 1/2 cup mint leaves with sugar syrup.
- Stir in club soda, vodka*, lemon juice, and 2/3 cup superfine sugar. Chill.
- Pour into ice-filled pitchers with lemon rounds and mint sprigs; serve in tall glasses.
* To make a nonalcoholic batch of lemonade, reserve the vodka and add 1 1/2 ounces to each glass before pouring.
Print recipe with images [1] | without images [1]