moscato mojito

Even though it was cold and grey in Houston today, I was in the mood for a summery drink! You might remember that I like mojitos and I’m always happy to have a new variation in my back pocket.

My mom is in town visiting me this week and we had cocktails the other afternoon at my favorite cafe near my house and they served something similar to this. We were determined to figure out how to make them, and so what if we had to drink two or three or four or five drinks in the process. This was basically in the name of science.

These mojitos are a little different than most in that they’re not made with rum — instead, you use Moscato, a sweet Italian wine. Moscato is slightly effervescent, but not quite as bubbly as champagne. I think its too sweet to drink on its own, but it is perfect for making mixed drinks!

Okay, so to make the mint simple syrup, combine 2 c water, 2 c sugar, and 3 c chopped mint leaves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes covered. Then turn the heat off and let it steep for 15 minutes.

To make the drinks, muddle 4-5 torn mint leaves and the juice of one lime in the bottom of a glass. Fill half of the glass of crushed ice, then pour in 2 oz. mint simple syrup and 2-4 oz. lime juice. Use 2 oz. of lime juice if you like sweeter drinks or up to 4 oz. if you like them more tart. Then fill the rest of the glass with moscato.

Stir and serve!