The beautiful blue waters and the white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico are calling my name. The call has gotten louder every day this week, and today that’s all I’m hearing.
Every summer we travel to the coastline of the Florida panhandle for a week of family vacation with the kids. This all started when our daughter was around 8 months old and my husband and I were desperate for a real vacation, somewhere we could take a baby and still relax and have fun in between diaper changes. We found exactly what we were looking for in the beaches along county road 30A in South Walton County. We spent that first summer in a rental cottage in Seaside and it was heaven. Every year since, with the exception of once, we spend a summer week either at Seaside or Rosemary Beach.
Next week is that week.
So, when posting is scarce next week, you’ll know it’s because my freshly-painted red toes are buried deep in the sugary white sand, far away from my laptop. I may even have a mojito. In fact, I’d say the mojito forcast is looking pretty darn good.
There may be some other cocktails showing up on our beach vacation menu. Here are some that have piqued my interest:
Mint Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
5 sprigs fresh mint
Mojito:
12 mint leaves, plus a sprig of mint for garnish
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 1/2 ounces mint simple syrup
2 ounces light rum
4 ounces of sparkling water
Make simple syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar, water, and mint just to a boil, stirring until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat, strain out and discard the mint, and let cool.
In a tall cocktail glass, place mint leaves and lime juice. Crush gently with a muddler or the back of a spoon. Add mint simple syrup. Fill tall glass with ice, add rum, and top with the sparkling water. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Sip slowly and relax.
