Cold Drip Coffee Mint Julep

 
One of my favourite herbs and one that always make me think of my childhood has to be mint.

My mum has always had a mint patch in the garden, and she used it a lot in her cooking when we were little. So many middle eastern and Armenian dishes use mint as a key flavour.

On hot summer's days we also use to make sweet mint tea which was so refreshing and way better than soft drinks!

Now as an adult whenever I visit her during mint season, she gives me a bunch of this fragrant herb to take home.

Usually, I add it to my green smoothie or a salad. But then I though what would happen if I combined one of my favourite herbs with my favourite drink. So, the Cold Drip Coffee Mint Julep mocktail was born.

Ingredients:

• 100ml Dark City Foundry cold drip coffee
• 30ml simple syrup
• 6-8 fresh mint leaves, plus extra to garnish
• Handful of ice

Method:

Muddle mint in a cocktail shaker. Add the cold drip coffee, simple syrup and crushed ice and shake. Strain into a glass and garnish with some fresh lime leaves. 

To make a simple syrup dissolve equal parts sugar in equal part hot water and cool. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Serves 1 

Hints and tips:

Muddling is gently mashing herbs or fruits to release their juices. This technique is often used in cocktails because it helps the flavours incorporate better than if you just threw a mint sprig right into the drink.

To muddle mint, place the leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Using a cocktail muddler or a metal spoon, gently mash the mint a few times to release the juices. Do not mash the mint with a lot of force. The key to muddling is a light touch.