Refreshment from the Garden: Summer Cocktails

The first ingredient needed for our refreshing cocktail is a handful of peppermint leaves. Peppermint is an uncomplicated plant, easy to grow in almost every garden, it prefers sunny to half-shaded locations with moist ground. In Australia, we have the luxury of having it available all year round.

The next ingredient is lemon balm; it loves moist, sunny and wind-protected spots. Apart from cocktails, lemon balm can be used for tea, salads and soups. The fresh leaves emit a wonderful lemon smell in the garden. Very refreshing indeed!

Additional ingredients for our summer cocktail are lemons, limes, water and sugar (or honey) as desired. If you are feeling creative, why not try cucumbers, kiwi and perhaps strawberries to give it a splash of colour.

You simply need to place plenty of peppermint and lemon balm leaves in a heat-resistant glass and covered with hot water to release their fine aromas. When the mixture has cooled down (you can accelerate this process by adding ice cubes), add the juice and finely grated rind of the lemons and limes. The amount of juice and lemon-rind depends on the desired intensity. Finally, sweeten the cocktail with sugar or honey.

We hope you will enjoy this cocktail in a nice, shady spot in your garden!