All the single ladies

Being neither officially married (cough), nor having children or my own home just yet, I feel like I - and any others in this boat (including many of my friends) - am at a distinct disadvantage in the blogsphere. I see so many gorgeous blogs every day that are totally inspiring, but many of them are focused on children, homes or weddings, leaving us non-married renting types ogling from a distance.

So, for today only, I wanted to feature a fun post for all the single ladies out there (what's up, Beyonce!) - or for anyone really, except any of you moms-to-be (sorry moms!). With that being said, here's a recipe for one of my all-time favorite summer drinks, the mojito. Easy to make and delicious for outdoor barbecues or for just sipping next to the cold A/C, the mojito is definitely a winner for the summer. Here's how to make it:

Ingredients:
1 oz. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. plain sugar
Crushed ice
Fresh mint leaves (leaves from approx. 1 spring of mint)
2 oz. white rum
Splash of club soda

How to prepare:
-Start with a tall glass and add in freshly squeezed lime juice.
-Add the sugar in with the lime juice and stir to dissolve the crystals.
-Then add a small bit of crushed ice to give the drink some body.
-Remove the mint leaves from the stem (keeping the leaves intact, as well as reserving some of the top leaves for a garnish).
-Use a few leaves to rim the glass (to add flavor for if you sip, as well as aroma), then add all of the leaves into the drink.
-Stir to release the flavor and aroma of the mint.
-Pour in the rum.
-Fill the glass with the remainder of the crushed ice.
-Add a splash of club soda for effervescence and stir gently once more.
-Garnish with the mint you set aside and enjoy.

Recipe from mixologist Eben Freeman, of Tailor restaurant in New York City, courtesy of Epicurious.

And if you'd rather watch Eben do this before trying it on your own, here's a fun video from Epicurious (which has a great video podcast series with all kinds of delicious drinks as well as food recipes).



Enjoy your mojito with a barbecued chicken, bacon and guacamole sandwich. Light a lemongrass candle to keep the bugs away, sit back and relax. Cheers!