Photo by Brogan Wu
I remember growing up and my mom letting me watch “Practical Magic.” It wasn't always exactly age appropriate, but it was a special treat for me and we loved how the movie focused on sisterhood, womanhood and staying true to your roots. To this day it is my favorite chick flick of all time.
There is something about a young Sandra Bullock and the classic 90s film style that just makes me feel so nostalgic every time I see it; not to mention my young crush on bad boy Goran Visnjic. My favorite scene from the film was the love spell in the beginning, but my second favorite was the most fun; the midnight margaritas.
A bunch of witchy women in their kitchen whipping up strong tequila spiked frozen cocktails, singing, dancing and saying a little too much. It made me so excited to grow up and try my first drink; maybe even have my first heartbreak. However, it turns out tequila is not my drink of choice, and when it came to picking one's poison I always prefer a white rum. These midnight mojitos are my ode to good times with the ones we loves and the lessons that the Owen's sisters taught me even at a young age.
The base of these mojitos is homemade raspberry mint lemonade. You can choose to serve this lemonade on its own, or just stick to seltzer water for a mock-tail instead, but trust me when I tell you they are much more magical with some booze. Now that graduation is approaching, and summer is nearly here, it is the perfect time to unwind, take your time and celebrate under the warm moon. Cheers!
Kitchen Witch's Midnight Mojitos
You will Need:
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1/2 cup of raspberries*
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1 generous handful of fresh mint leaves*
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1 cup of white sugar
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1 cup of water (plus 4-6 more)
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1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more for a tarter taste)
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seltzer water
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white rum
*plus more for garnish
Directions:
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In a mortar and pestle, food processor, or bowl, mash and grind raspberries and mint leaves together well. Creating a jam like consistency.
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In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a gentle boil, add white sugar and a mint berry mixture and then lower the heat. Stir together until sugar is completely melted, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from burner.
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Juice fresh lemons, juice until you have about 1/2 a cup (you can adjust this amount based on your taste).
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Using a fine mesh strainer, pour lemon juice into a large pitcher.
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Follow with the hot raspberry mint simple syrup, straining this as well.
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Top with water until your pitcher is full, give a good stir, and let chill in the fridge for a few hours until cold. (Instant option: add lots of ice instead)
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To assemble the mojitos: In a large clear glass add ice, muddled mint leaves, and fresh raspberries. Pour in 1.5 ounces of good white rum, and pour over lemonade mixture, leaving a little bit of room for some sparkling seltzer to top it all off.
bwu1@ramapo.edu
