Avocados. And lime. And mint. And vodka. These are a few of my favorite things. They’re all starring in this Avocado, Lime, and Mint Cocktail.
If your first reaction to an avocado cocktail is eww, hear me out. This is not an avocado smoothie with vodka in it. It’s not thick or gloppy. No! It’s light and refreshing! The avocado adds just a little body and the tiniest bit of creaminess to the drink. Its mild, slightly sweet flavor plays beautifully with herbal mint and tart lime.
We went to this great Asian restaurant in Denver last week, and I was chatting with our server about cocktails. He confessed to being a closet mixologist and started telling me about his latest creation, which had fancy rum and some esoteric Japanese fruit and a chili-rimmed glass and … avocado simple syrup. I was listening with one ear, honestly, because I don’t do rum, until I heard avocado simple syrup. Then I interrupted him to say, “Wait, what?”
Simple syrup is a common ingredient in mixed drinks, a clean, easy way to add a little sweetness. It is, as the name implies, super easy to make, being composed only of equal parts sugar and water heated together until the sugar dissolves. And it can be infused with pretty much anything you can imagine – fruit, herbs, chilis, tea, spices – by steeping the desired ingredient in the syrup.
Avocado doesn’t really lending itself to steeping, though, so in this case, the avocado is simply pureed with plain simple syrup. The result: a silky, spring-green nectar that’s then blended with a squeeze of lime juice, freshly chopped mint, and a slug of clean-tasting vodka. I like to top it with a splash of soda water, too, for extra sparkle.
It’s fresh and brightly-flavored and kind of addictive. When David, who always gamely tastes my creations, heard what was in it, he raised his eyebrows at me. Sighed, took a sip. Then he paused and said, “That’s good. That’s really freaking good.” We made another round for cocktail hour.
Give it a try. It’s fresh and different, and you don’t have to spend $14 at a trendy restaurant to try it out. Win-win. Cheers!
Avocado, Lime, and Mint Cocktail
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Category: drinks
Description
My Avocado, Lime, and Mint Cocktail combines clean-tasting vodka with everyone’s favorite hipster fruit for a silky-light, fresh green cocktail.
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
2 oz avocado simple syrup (recipe below)
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
2 tsp fresh mint, finely chopped, plus mint leaves for garnish
splash of seltzer or club soda (optional)
AVOCADO SIMPLE SYRUP
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 medium avocado
Instructions
Make the simple syrup: place the sugar and water in a small pan and heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and liquid is clear. Cool to room temperature, then pour into a blender and scoop in the 1/2 avocado. Puree until fully combined. The mixture will be thick but pourable.
To make the drink, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add 2 oz avocado syrup, 1.5 oz vodka, 3/4 oz lime juice, and 2 tsp chopped mint. Shake vigorously and strain into an ice-filled glass. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Notes
… The simple syrup recipe makes about 1 cup, or enough for four drinks. If not using immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
… If you’re pressed for time, you can puree the mint along with the avocado with the simple syrup, but I prefer the pungent hit of freshly-chopped mint.
You had me at VODKA. Very interesting and quiet intriguing and I absolutely cannot wait for you to make me one… or two!!!
Well, get on over here! 😉