Mint Leaves

Using Mint Leaves for Minty Cocktails

Mint leaves are a fresh way to add some flavor to your cocktails, giving you something a little more refreshing without all of the added sugars that syrups provide. You can make numerous cocktails with mint leaves, so knowing where to buy them and what you can make with them will ensure that you are the hit of the next party. Blender or no blender, there are options that are going to leave everyone craving more.

Where to Get the Mint Leaves

When a recipe calls for mint leaves, they want fresh leaves, not the dried ones you are going to get out of a jar. There is a very large distinction between the two and you won't get the same taste if you try to substitute. If you cannot find fresh ones, then you are going to have to forego the drink altogether.

 

Check the produce section of the grocery store where they keep the other herbs. You can usually find a little plastic bag filled with them so that you make your cocktails. If you cannot find the mint leaves there, head to a garden or nursery near you. You may have to buy the whole plant, which is usually pretty affordable and fairly small. The benefit to this is that now you can grow your own and have mint leaves whenever you need them so you can make all of the mint cocktails that you want.

Fun Cocktails with Mint Leaves

One of the most classic drinks that you will ever find with mint leaves is the mojito. It was one of the popular drinks with writer, Ernest Hemingway. To make the cocktail, you need to put about five or six leaves at the bottom of a glass. Muddle them using a muddling stick or the back of a wooden spoon along with some ice. Add a shot of silver rum to the glass. Now top the rest off with either club soda or lemon lime soda. This is a very refreshing drink that can be consumed in and out of the Caribbean region.

 

If you are looking for something else to make with mint leaves, you can make a modification of a margarita and make what is called a Mint Lemonade. You can turn this into a frozen concoction or leave it over the rocks. Muddle the leaves just like you did with the mojito and ice. This time, pour lemonade (or a sweet and sour mix) to the top and then add a shot of silver or gold tequila and mix. If you want it frozen, pour all of the contents into a blender and mix until it's the consistency of a slushee.

 

There are many drinks that you can make with a mint leaf, so it's up to you to get creative. Rum and tequila are the most common liquors to mix with the flavor, though you can always get creative and use vodka or brandy, too. Just make sure you have plenty of leaves so that you can make as many concoctions as needed.