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Looking for a new cocktail to sip on this summer? I stumbled upon the "bootlegger" one sunny summer afternoon last year at Lafayette Country Club, and instantly fell in love. It's perfect for an afternoon at the pool, an evening boat ride on the lake, and just about everything in between.
The bootlegger cocktail hails proudly from Minnesota, and there are a few recipes out there, so I decided to test them all... why not, right?! In the end, I perfected the bootlegger formula according to my taste buds (and a couple of friends that willingly, and happily, chose to be my guinea pigs). Of course, I had to name the finished product after my home: Minnetucket (a mix of Lake Minnetonka + Nantucket).
So, imagine if a mojito had a baby with a spiked lemonade. Sounds amazing, right?! Bootlegger is great because it's fruity and refreshing without being too sweet. I ended up preferring juicing my own fruit rather than using frozen concentrates. 3 lemons, 1 lime, 1 juice press and you're in business!
Using a natural sweetener like agave nectar added just the right amount of sweetness to the mix.
The key ingredient in bootlegger is the mint... and the more the better! I used 3 sprigs of mint (the best place I found mint was Trader Joe's!) Chopping the mint as finely as possible is also really important. My Magic Bullet was a lifesaver! (Here's one for less than $35 on Amazon).
You can use gin, vodka, or even rum in your bootlegger, whichever you prefer. Top it off with plenty of soda water, and garnish with a lemon and a mint sprig for a beautiful summer treat!
Oh, and don't forget to plop a nice, colorful straw in to serve as both a drinking and stirring device. My recipe makes about 4 bootleggers, so you may want to double it depending on how many guests you're hosting. As always, you may find your own tweaks depending on how sweet or strong you like your cocktails. This also makes for a GREAT summer mock-tail!
Have a great weekend, cheers! Click on my recipe below to print! Enjoy :-)
-Golden Girl