Name: Nonalcoholic Mojito
Yield: Serves 1
Ingredients: 12 to 14 small mint leaves (see Note); 1 ounce fresh lime juice; 1 tablespoon superfine sugar; 4 ounces club soda or seltzer water; Garnish: Mint leaves, lime slices (optional)

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Here's a flavorful nonalcoholic mojito—a zero-proof twist on the sugarcane and rum drink of old Havana. There's no rum in this nonalcoholic drink, but the immense flavor remains. However, in this incarnation, I make it a bit differently. Not wanting a lot of little mint pieces in my teeth, I've created it so that the mint flavor gets infused beforehand; I then garnish the drink with a few mint leaves for added decoration and flavor.

Note:

With larger mint leaves, use 6 or 7.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 1

Ingredients

12 to 14 small mint leaves (see Note)

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon superfine sugar

4 ounces club soda or seltzer water

Garnish: Mint leaves, lime slices (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Muddle the mint leaves in a cocktail shaker with the lime juice and sugar. Add ice cubes to fill a shaker and pour in the club soda. Gently shake a few times to incorporate (remember: club soda is fizzy).
Step 2
Strain into a medium or tall cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish, if desired.

From Porch Parties: Cocktail Recipes and Easy Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining by Denise Gee. Text copyright © 2009 by Denise Gee; photographs copyright © 2009 by Robert M. Peacock. Published by Chronicle Books LLC.