Blueberry Mint Mojito and Blueberry Mint Fizz

Cool drinks are key for everyone, young and old when entertaining during summer. Keeps the party alive and kicking. I have added my Minty Mint Simple Syrup and Very Berry Blueberry Simple Syrup to give the drinks an even bolder flavor and color.

Photography by Robert Demetrius

2 ounces of white rum (like Bacardi Superior or Havana Club)

juice of ½ a lime

2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup

1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup

2 ounces club soda 

5 leaves of mint and 1 sprig for decoration

8 – 10 blueberries

In a long drink glass, squeeze juice of ½ lime, 2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup, 1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup along with 5 mint leaves and about 5 blueberries and muddle until the mint leaves are bruised and the blueberries are a bit crushed. Then pour 2 ounces of rum into the glass, fill with ice cubes, top with 2 ounces of soda and the remaining blueberries and stir. Add a sprig of mint as a decoration and Voilà! A refreshing long drink to start the party.

Blueberry Mint Fizz

For those that do not drink any alcohol, I have just modified the recipe a tad, just so that you don’t feel left out.

juice of ½ a lime

2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup

1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup

6 ounces club soda or lime flavored sparkling water

5 leaves of mint and 1 sprig for decoration

8 – 10 blueberries

In a long drink glass, squeeze juice of ½ lime, 2 tablespoons of Minty Mint Flavored Simple Syrup, 1 tablespoon of Very Berry Blueberry Flavored Simple Syrup along with 5 mint leaves and about 5 blueberries and muddle until the mint leaves are bruised and the blueberries are a bit crushed. Fill the glass with ice cubes, top with 6 ounces of soda or lime flavored sparkling water and the remaining blueberries and stir. Add a sprig of mint as a decoration and Voilà! How easy was that? Everyone gets to enjoy a long drink. Cheers!

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Fabulously Summery Flavored Simple Syrups (Minty Mint, Very Berry Blueberry and Aromatic Rosemary)

Summer has arrived and the heat is on! The time has come to enjoy the fabulous rays of summer sun, while sipping on a chilled drink, lounging by the pool, a lake or at the beach. Soaking in all the goodness that summer has to bring. Sit back relax and enjoy a nice cold beverage packed with flavor and it doesn’t take long at all.

Simple syrup is such a quick and easy thing to do. It’s an easy way to sweeten and flavor your drinks.

Photography by Heaven on Hearth

Minty Mint Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup mint leaves

Sugar and Mint

In a saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Stir to ensure that all the sugar has melted. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup of mint leaves. I also like to add the stems, since they too are very flavorful. Let steep for 10 minutes before straining, then just leave to cool. When cooled, pour in a glass bottle and keep refrigerated. Use when needed. This makes 1 cup of minty mint simple syrup.

This is great in my Blueberry Mint Mojito and Blueberry Mint Fizz.

Very Berry Blueberry Simple Syrup

Very Berry Blueberry Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

½ cup blueberries, crushed

Blueberries and Sugar

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Stir to ensure that all the sugar has melted. Add ½ cup blueberries that you crush before adding to the boiling syrup. I find crushing the blueberries before adding to the boiling syrup gives the syrup that beautiful bold color. Boil for another 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave in the hot liquid for another 5 minutes before straining, then just leave to cool. When cooled, pour in a glass bottle and keep refrigerated. Use when needed. This makes 1 cup of very berry blueberry simple syrup.

This is great in my Blueberry Mint Mojito and Blueberry Mint Fizz.

Aromatic Rosemary Flavored Simple Syrup

Aromatic Rosemary Flavored Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 heaping tablespoon rosemary leaves

Rosemary and Sugar

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Stir to ensure that all the sugar has melted. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of rosemary leaves. Boil for another 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave in the hot liquid for another 5 minutes before straining, then just leave to cool. When cooled, pour in a glass bottle and keep refrigerated. Use when needed. Voilà! It’s done! This makes 1 cup of aromatic rosemary simple syrup.

This is great in my Strawberry Rosemary Mojito and Strawberry Rosemary Cooler

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Blueberry Cobbler

Blueberries…this tiny purple berry has quite a bit of flavor for something so small. They taste sweet, yet are also tart, it doesn’t have a lot of juice, but just enough. Some think they are pretty bland, but I disagree. This little berry does has some punch to me. For this recipe in particular, I would like to suggest using fresh blueberries and remember to select firm dark berries. Frozen blueberries may get mushy after defrosting and you certainly want a bit of bite to the cobbler once baked!

Photography by Heaven on Hearth

For the filling:

2 pints (4 cups) blueberries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, I like to use a Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, it has such a rich and delicious flavor

2 teaspoons orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice, Navel oranges are my favorite because the juice is nice and sweet, but any other will do just as well

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter, melted

I like to wash my blueberries before using them. Drain them in a colander if you have, if not, a sieve will do the trick, just so that you get off the excess water. In the meantime, while the blueberries are being drained, start melting the butter.

Place the blueberries in a big bowl so that you can mix the filling easily. I add each ingredient and mix thoroughly, then add the next and so forth, it is just better incorporated that way. Now be careful not to crush the berries while mixing. Add sugar, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract and then butter. Once you add the butter, you will notice that it gets a bit hard on the blueberries, don’t worry. Finally I add the flour and let it just sit until I have finished the biscuits for the filling. Now, leave that spoon in the bowl, you will need it again to mix one last time before putting into the baking dish.

This would be the perfect time to start preheating the oven to 375° Fahrenheit.

Filling with biscuit topping before baking

Now for the biscuit topping:

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

5 tablespoons white sugar

5 tablespoons softened butter

3/4 cup of whole milk with 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, I used the same vanilla extract as in the filling

2 teaspoons of white sugar with a pinch of cinnamon to be sprinkled on the biscuits before baking

Mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Once well blended, add softened butter then add milk with vanilla extract slowly. The mixture will be a bit soft in consistency, but I don’t like a hard topping when it’s baked.

At this point, butter a shallow baking dish well and give the blueberries one last good mix before putting the filling into the baking dish. Take two tablespoons and make an egg shaped biscuit with the dough and gently place on top of the filling. Have fun placing the biscuits in an attractive pattern, but it’s okay if you want to drop the biscuits any way you want.

Once the dough is complete, mix two teaspoons of white sugar with a pinch of cinnamon in a dish and sprinkle over the biscuits before placing the dish into the oven.

Bake for about 45 -50 minutes. Voilà! Here is a comforting dessert with just the right amount of sweetness, at least for me.

I found that using Navel oranges instead of lemons gave the filling a fresh sweet taste and mellowed the tartness of the blueberries.

Now, go forth, add some vanilla ice cream into the mix and enjoy!

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