A short post today! There’s a lot going on. But it’s almost the weekend! Get it started right with my new favorite cocktail:

This Strawberry Jalapeño Mojito is a fun cocktail that I dreamed up in the produce aisle at New Seasons. I happened to be standing right between the strawberries and jalapeños at the time (but I already had strawberries at home), and I don’t know if it was that I could actually smell for the first time in a week, or what, but pairing the two sounded fun. That particular shopping trip ended up with me walking home with 3 kinds of cheese, a bottle of wine, a baguette and 2 jalapeños. The people at New Seasons probably think I am either fun or crazy.

I’m so pleased with how it turned out. This is seriously one of the best original cocktails I’ve ever made. It’s a little spicy, a little sour and a little sweet – the perfect combination. I love the play between the mint and the jalapeño. And I can’t wait to find more fun ways to use the jalapeño simple syrup!

Here’s what you need:
1 1/2 oz. jalapeño simple syrup
3-4 fresh strawberries*
about 10 fresh mint leaves
2 oz. light rum
Juice of 1/2 lime
ice
Club soda/sparkling water
More strawberries or mint for garnish

*If you can, buy a softer variety of strawberries, preferably from a natural grocery store or a farmers market. Softer varieties are much easier to smoosh into cocktail goodness, BUT they are very difficult for large chain stores to ship in good quality across long distances so they tend to not be available there. I have tested the drink with both types and a softer strawberry variety, such as a Hood Strawberry here in the Pacific Northwest, produces a significantly more flavorful result.

Add the simple syrup, strawberries and mint leaves to a collins glass and muddle.

Top with the rum and lime juice. Stir, then fill the glass with ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with mint or strawberry.

To make the jalapeño simple syrup:

Heat 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add 1 jalapeno, chopped with pith and seeds removed, and allow to steep for at least an hour (longer if you want a stronger flavor). Remove jalapeño pieces and store in the fridge.