South Side Cocktails
It's the last weekend of April and the weather is warming up, making this vintage cocktail the perfect drink for sipping on the porch. Tart citrus blended with fresh mint, simple syrup and a really good gin all make for a great drink to soak up these longer spring days.
Equipment
- small saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
- For the simple syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- For the cocktails:
- ¾ cup simple syrup
- 1-⅓ to 1-½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 9 to 10 lemons
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, packed when measuring
- ¾ cup good gin, such as Plymouth
- Ice for serving
- Extra lemon slices for serving, optional
Instructions
- To make the simple syrup:
- Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved. Keep any extra simple syrup refrigerated.
- To make the cocktails:
- Pour ¾ cup of the simple syrup and 1-⅓ cups of the lemon juice into a blender. Toss in the mint leaves and blend on medium speed until very smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and stir in the gin. You can additional simple syrup or lemon juice to suit your taste.
- Fill a cocktail glass with ice and slide a slice of lemon down the side for garnish. Pour the drink over the ice and serve.
Notes
We use Meyer lemons when they're available; they're a touch sweeter, with a hint of orange. But any lemons will work.