The Spirit World

I happen to be a big fan of mojitos… straight up mint and limey ones, fruity ones (strawberry, mango or pineapple are all amazing), and even the more obscure cucumber or jalapeño options. But, there is always room for a new drink in the mix. I mean, you can’t drink mojitos every time it’s sunny out.

I noticed a recipe for a lemongrass cooler in the January edition of Australian Table, and it looked amazingly refreshing…. the perfect solution to a mojito rut or for those who aren’t a big fan of muddled mint.

On first glance, you might think the lemongrass would be overpowering. In reality, its fragrance is certainly strong but the flavors are very mild. The lemon grass is used to make a lemongrass simple syrup. This syrup will keep, refrigerated for over a week and is useful in other recipes too… such as a flavoring for homemade yogurt, in a marinade for barbecued prawns or mixed in with strawberries.

Look for fresh lemongrass stalks that don’t look too dry or brittle for best results. To prepare for use, remove the dirty outer layer of the stalk, and soak for about 10 minutes, then lightly scrub off any dirt.

Lime, along with the lemongrass, gives this cooler the perfect zesty kick and balances out the nutty sweetness of the rum. Like a mojito, I recommend using a premium white rum, for the best flavor/color combination. Darker rum works as well (and is what I used for these photos), but it won’t be beautifully crystal clear. Either way, it’s a perfect way to relax on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

Lemongrass Cooler
(Makes 1 tall glass)

1/2 cup lemongrass syrup (see recipe below)
1 lime
1 shot white rum
club soda to fill

For the syrup:
Cut the lemongrass stalks into 4 inch pieces, and lightly muddle them.

In a medium saucepan, heat 4 cups of water, the lemongrass and 1 cup of caster sugar on medium until the sugar dissolves, then bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, and cover. Let it cool as the lemongrass infuses the mixture, about 15 minutes. Strain, and refrigerate about 10 minutes. You can then save this syrup for other uses if desired.

For the drinks:
Combine the juice from the lime with the 1/2 cup lemongrass syrup. Fill a tall glass with ice, and add the juice mixture and rum. Fill with club soda. Garnish with a lime or a small stalk of lemongrass.