A chilled glass of minty raspberry lemonade with a splash of gin. This has been my drink of choice these days… with or without the gin, it’s up to you and equally as delicious. Sweetened with a small amount of honey, this drink is almost unnaturally pink and deliciously tart.
We’ve been taking advantage of the long summer days, squeezing in as many outdoor activities as we can. My legs are bruised from mountain biking, my hands are rough from gardening, my shoulders are tight from carrying the weight of my overnight backpack. After a long day of activity, there are few things more refreshing than an ice cold drink on the deck.
A few weeks ago we spent a morning picking organic raspberries at a local farm. Sticky red fingers, and nearly 10 pounds of berries later we kept several pints for eating fresh and froze the rest for future treats. Next year I need to get organized and plant some raspberries of my own. A raspberry picked fresh under the hot summer sun is one of my favourite things!
Raspberry Mint Gin Lemonade
yield: about 1L
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 2-3 lemons)
- 2 cups Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- 4 cups Water
- 2 Tbsp. Honey (or sweetner of choice), more to taste if you like
- 3 large sprigs Mint, more for garnish
- lemon wedges, for garnish
- 1-2 oz. Gin (per serving)
- ice for serving
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, stir in honey to dissolve.
Combine the remaining 3 ups water with raspberries, puree in blender or with an immersion blender. Strain to remove seeds through a fine mesh sieve.
Crush mint with your hands and place in a large jar or pitcher along with honey water and raspberry water.
Place ice in a glass, add 1-2 oz. gin, top off with raspberry mint lemonade, a sprig of mint and a lemon wedge.