Lychee Ginger Mint Fizz

Refreshing lychee, ginger, and mint fizz mocktail

This year has flown by! It's been such an amazing one :) My move to Hong Kong has been so inspiring and fun. There is so much to see, do, and eat here, and it's been so great to explore it all. In January, I made a promise to myself to cook, shoot, and post at least one recipe every week for 2015. I'm really glad to say that I kept that promise and I've learned so much this year. My passion for food styling and food photography is something that's always been there, but I've really found so much happiness in it. I love learning new tricks and pushing myself to improve my skills. I am so grateful for every single reader, and really appreciate all your support. I just hope to get you in the kitchen and see that cooking is fun, affordable, and way easier than you think :)

I had a delicious Lychee Smash at a Vietnamese restaurant with my girlfriend Tracy, and it inspired me to recreate the drink at home. These flavor profiles are perfect with each other; fizzy ginger and bright, fresh mint, tart lime juice and sweet lychee fruit. This drink can easily become a cocktail with 2 oz ounce of rum, making it a twist on a Mojito or Caipirinha. Perfect to ring in the new year with. Let's get drinkin :)

What You Need:

Juice of 1/2 - 1 lime, to taste
Fresh mint leaves
Ginger beer or soda water
2 oz Lychee juice - canned lychees have a ton of juice inside!
Lychee fruit - canned is perfectly fine
1 oz ginger simple syrup
Ice

Ginger Simple Syrup

1 part water
1 part sugar
1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled

What To Do:

Make the ginger simple syrup. Use a paring knife or spoon to peel about 1" of fresh ginger. In a saucepan, bring equal parts water and sugar to a boil, throwing in the knob of ginger. Boil the mixture until it's clear and in a syrup consistency. Keep aside and let it cool.

In a glass, muddle a bunch of mint leaves and 4-5 pieces of lychee fruit. Top with crushed ice, 2 oz lychee juice, 1 oz ginger simple syrup, and the juice of 1/2 - 1 lime, depending on your taste preference.
Top off the drink with soda water, ginger beer, or even ginger ale if it's more accessible.

You can serve these in rimmed glasses for a little festive touch, or keep it straight-forward. The bright mint and delicate color of the lychee is beautiful enough on its own!

Fizzy and cooling Lychee Ginger Mint Fizz

This is a great cooler that is light and flavorful. The gentle heat of the fresh ginger is balanced by the sweetness of the lychee, but kept in check with the tart lime juice. It's simple to make, and is actually quite versatile. You can add lemongrass if you wish, or even grate fresh ginger into the mixture. Hope you give this one a try! :) Hope you all have a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve xoxo