This Meyer Lemon Lavender Mojito combines winter citrus fruit into a traditionally summer cocktail to help you get through the those chilly winter days.
I’d do a lot of things for a vacation on a beach right now. An 80 degree beach vacation. Spending hours reading a book in the sand, only to fall asleep for another couple hours and then to wake up and think, “gee I’m feeling kind of hot right now; maybe I’ll take a dip in the water.” I miss feeling hot. Though today is actually going to be 27 degrees, which is basically a heat wave. I probably should stop complaining otherwise another blizzard is suddenly going to pop up in the forecast.
I’m continuing my winter tradition of pointing out the few remaining positives of this never-ending season of doom. My latest “this is what’s getting me through”? Meyer lemons. We don’t often find Meyer lemons on our tropical beach vacations, so I’ll count that as one point against tropical beach vacations. Maybe the only point against them… In any event, I couldn’t help myself and incorporated them into a traditionally summer drink, a lavender mojito. Because… summer. I miss you.
Making this cocktail gave me the opportunity to get crazy with my new Crisp Zester. Which isn’t just any zester. It’s a 4-in-1 zester. And, in case you can’t tell in the photos of my drink, I went totally zest wild.
I couldn’t help it… This zester has a scoring blade, a channel knife, and two zesting blades – a traditional head for larger zests and a fold out blade for finer zest.
Can we talk about the fact that zesting is actually really therapeutic? Especially when you’re stuck inside for the 4902th day in a row due to horrific weather. I’d rather do it on a beach, though.
I also find simple syrup making to be incredibly therapeutic. I’m still planning to start my own simple syrup business some day. Then I can make simple syrup all day long. Would still be preferable to do so on a beach.
Same with drinking it. I wonder how much simple syrup I’d drink if I spent all day making it. Probably way too much. Especially this Meyer lemon one.
I used the beautiful zest of one Meyer lemon for the syrup.
And combined it in a saucepan with 1 cup sugar, the juice of the Meyer lemon (about 2 ounces), and 3/4 cup water.
Brought it to a boil and then lowered it to a simmer for about 10 minutes, until it thickened a bit.
I poured it into a jar and added it to the simple syrup collection in my fridge. Yes, collection.
I got a jump on my lavender ice cubes, too. Seeing that they’re ice cubes and all, they’re going to need a bit of time to, you know, freeze.
First, I seeped 3 cup warm water and 1 1/2 Tbsp lavender in a large container.
Then I put the mixture through a fine sieve to strain out the lavender and poured the lavender-infused water into ice cube trays. I used my giant ice cube tray. And sprinkled some more lavender on top before freezing.
OK, finally we’re ready to whip up the lavender mojito cocktail. I brushed a little simple syrup on the rim of my glass and then dipped it in more Meyer lemon zest. Which was probably kind of overkill, but I am obsessed.
I used the handy dandy little pull-out zester for all the fine zest.
Then, I put 1 1/2 oz. Meyer lemon simple syrup and a small bunch of mint leaves in the glass and muddled them all together. Lavender mojito, here I come!
I put a giant lavender ice cube into the glass. You can use multiple ice cubes if yours are smaller.
And then stirred in the rum and topped it with soda water.
But wait… There’s more zest! I wanted to get fancy so I zested another Meyer lemon and then twirled it around a toothpick to make it all curly. These are my favorite zests!
And you can never have too much zest, right?? Right?? OK, admittedly, this cocktail has a little bit going on. But it’s all 100% awesome.
If you prefer for your cocktails not to have so much going on, just strain the simple syrup before pouring. But that sugar-coated Meyer lemon zest? omg. That is all.
I’ve made a lemonade mojito with lavender simple syrup a couple years ago and that was fabulous, but for some, the lavender flavor was a bit too strong. The lavender ice cubes are a bit more subtle and it’s definitely the Meyer lemon that’s the star of this show.
And the current star of my winter season. Besides my couch and fireplace and piles of blankets. And sweatpants. Definitely sweatpants.
I hereby swear that I will not complain about the heat of summer this year. I will simply bask in it. And sip on cocktails. And be thankful. I will miss Meyer lemons and Meyer Lemon Lavender Mojitos though… But not enough to bring winter back. There’s always next year. But please, let’s not talk about that right now.
Do you need to participate in some therapeutic zesting, too? Now you have the chance to win the 4-in-1 Crisp Cooking Zester I used in this recipe! To enter to win, simply comment on this post telling me: What cocktail would you create with this zester? Comment by Saturday, February 28, by 11:59 p.m. EST for a chance to win!
While we’re at it, I’m going to announce the winner of my last Crisp giveaway… Congratulations to Andrea who said, “I love to add apples and/or nuts to my salads, something crunchy!” I will email you ASAP!
Meyer Lemon Lavender Mojito
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz. Meyer lemon simple syrup recipe below
- 1 small bunch mint
- Lavender ice cube recipe below
- 2 oz. light rum
- 1 oz. soda water
Meyer Lemon Simple Syrup (makes enough for multiple drinks):
- 1 C sugar
- Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
- Juice of 1 Meyer lemon about 2 oz
- 3/4 C water
Lavender Ice Cubes (makes enough for multiple drinks):
- 3 C warm water
- 1 1/2 T lavender food grade
Instructions
- Muddle together Meyer lemon simple syrup and mint in the bottom of a glass.
- Add one large lavender ice cube (or multiple small cubes).
- Stir in rum.
- Top with soda water
Meyer Lemon Simple Syrup:
- Put sugar, Meyer lemon juice, Meyer lemon zest, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until syrup thickens.
- Remove to jar or bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Lavender Ice Cubes
- Put warm water and lavender in a bowl or large glass.
- Let seep for 20 minutes.
- Pour lavender water through sieve.
- Pour water in ice cube trays. Add additional to water lavender if desired.
- Freeze.
Full Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Crisp Cooking, but as usual, all opinions are 100% my own!
I’d create pastry garnishes
I would create Manhattans with this! Such a great tool!
Anything tropical tasting. I too am turning to cocktails to get through this Boston winter!
I would make a meyer lemon lavender mojito. Because I love lavender, mojitos, and meyer lemons!
Those little curls are so festive! I would like to make this for my husband. I’m not a fan of alcohol, but I think that he would like this.
I would use the zester to zest up sangria. And make it look really pretty 🙂
I’d create lime garnishes for fresh margaritas.
I’m pretty sure that I would just make this meyer lemon mojito…though I can easily see myself being too lazy/impatient to make the lavender ice cubes. I, too, am dreaming of summer. Midwest winter are not as bad as Boston, but they still make me sad. I grew up in the desert, so I’ve never been one to complain about the heat.
I’d use it to make a prosecco st. germain cocktail with fresh lemon zest and a twist!
A watermelon lime mint spritzer
I’d make this or something with grapefruit!!!
I would use it to make a lime, ginger and mint cordial.
Gin and tonics with lots of extra limes and lime zest!
This drink is so pretty and Spring-like! I love the colors.
I so would love this zezter as I use mine so often, but it only has one option. Our temperature was 33 degrees C yesterday so really hot. For that weather I would zest a lime, add some tequila and triple sec, the lime juice and be happy!
I would probably make an orange margarita with it! I love your mojito!
Perfect as margarita garnish
It is so crazy to me that 27F now feels like a heat wave…but also so true. Meyers for the win! I love how you’ve cocktailed them here…the lavender pairing is so fun!
Oooh, I would love to use this in a blueberry mojito. What a perfect zester for some limes!
what a pretty drink! i love all the elements! (and don’t enter me into the giveaway- i already have like 4 zesters or similar devices and don’t need another. ha! this drink just looked fab so i had to comment)
I would make an amazing cosmo with this!
Well… I found a recipe yesterday from another blog about how to make homemade Lemoncello… I would TOTALLY use this tool to create zest for that! That would be awesome.
I would make a classic margarita, twisted up with lots of lime and lemon zest!
I would make a pisco sour! I always thought it might be better with a little lime zest in it.
I’d use it to jazz up cocktails and serving platters
I would use the zester to garnish a Lavender Sazerac. Delish!
You make the most creative cocktails! I especially love how you include fun twists on the ice as well. This would definitely make me feel like I’m on a tropical getaway right now 🙂
Gosh, I’d use the zester for so many purposes! I don’t drink alcohol but I bet lemon peel would be delicious in sparkling water.
I’d try your mojito! Or any other cocktails with lemon zest
Blood orange margaritas with zest. Yum!
I would make a lemon drop cocktail.
I’d make this lavender lemon one, sans liquor.
I’d create this recipe! Looks yum!