STRAWBERRY MOJITO

Early this morning while the sun was rising up above the bayous - big and orange and while the coffee was perculating; I thumbed through a pile of porch magazines.  This is one of my favorite times of the day.  I love to sit on the wrap-around porch here and read or just thumb through old magazines I've saved.   I have to do this before the sun turns a brilliant and hot white and forces me to the other side of the porch where the plants happily grow.  Each morning they have yesterday's coffee while I sip a fresh batch.  While going through one old magazine, Santa Barbara Food and Home Magazine, I came across this wonderful recipe by the food and wine editor, Laurence Hauben.

Strawberry Mojito

(for 2)

10 fresh Strawberries

4 fresh mint sprigs

4 wedges Lime

1 shot Creme de Fraise des Bois

3 shots Premium white rum

2 splashes soda water

Preparation:

Muddle strawberries, mint, lime and Creme de Fraise des Boise hard in a shaker.  Add rum and fill shaker with ice.  Shake well.  Double strain (through sieve) into two Collins glasses filled with cracked ice.  Top with a splash of soda water and garnish with sprig of mint.

My trip yesterday to the New Orlean's French Quarter probably inspired my eyes toward this nice sophisticated drink.  So, if you're looking for a use for all that mint growing by the back steps, here's a good one for you!  Salud.