Muddled ginger, fresh mint and lemon are the bases for this very special holiday cocktail. You may like it so much you will want to make it all year long.
1 ” piece of peeled ginger, skinned and cut into 3 slices
10 mint leaves plus one sprig
1/2 lemon, cut into 3 wedges
Ice
1 jigger Maker’s Mark
Splash of agave, to taste
Slash of ginger beer
1 piece of candied ginger (optional)
1 fresh cranberry (optional)
Instructions
Muddle your mint leaves and ginger slices together in the bottom of a cocktail shaker, until mint leaves are broken into pieces and the ginger is smashed.
Add lemon wedges and continue to muddle until the lemons have released their juices.
Fill shaker with ice cubes. Add Maker’s Mark and agave. Cover the shaker and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is cold and covered with condensation.
Strain the liquid from the shaker through the perforated lid of the shaker or through a Hawthorne strainer into your ice-filled high ball glass. Really give it a good shake to get most of the liquid out, but keep the residual ice, lemon, ginger and mint in the shaker.
Top with a splash of ginger beer. Skewer the cranberry and candied ginger with a toothpick and garnish with cranberry, candied ginger and a sprig of mint.