Lately my taste buds have been veering toward the lime family. Slightly tart and so refreshing! Ironically, a decade ago, you could not have bribed me to eat key lime pie or anything tasting of lime for that matter. Dare I say that my taste buds have also matured? I suppose so because now I am all over this wonderful citrus fruit.
Fresh Limeade
Serves 8-12
Simple syrup
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Drink
20 limes (yields 2 cups)
3/4 oz. pkg. mint
2-3 quarts of sparkling water (to taste)
simple syrup (from above)
4-5 lime rinds (optional for visual effect)
3-4 cups rum (optional and to taste; reduce sparkling water accordingly)
Notes: Play with the ratios of all the ingredients together because I've found making drinks is particular to taste. My advice is to always err on the lighter side of each ingredient because you can always add but can't take away! :)
Directions
Make simple syrup by boiling 2 cups of water. Then add 2 cups of sugar and lightly stir until sugar dissolves. Cool and set aside.
Roll 20 limes to release their juice and then cut them in half. Use a juicer to extract the juices. Add juice to a pitcher.
Tear mint into smaller pieces (this releases the flavor) and add to the pitcher. Finally add in simple syrup and sparkling water to taste.
Option 1: add rum to spike the drink but then reduce sparkling water (start with the 3 cups of rum and add the sparkling water to balance it out)
Option 2: add lime rinds to the pitcher to make it look more festive
Note: This recipe will fill the pitcher at the top of the post. At the point in which the picture was taken, my friends and I had already enjoyed half of the pitcher :)
Adapted from:
http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=174
http://www.marthastewart.com/332254/limeade
