Persimmon Mojitos

Author Notes

This past summer my friend and I were on a bit of a mojito kick (okay, maybe a little more than "a bit"). Inspired by Not Without Salt's Rhubarb Mojito (a must try during rhubarb season!), we experimented with everything from the classic mojito to more adventurous combinations like blackberry and basil (also delicious!). This contest and my recent discovery of persimmons got me thinking about how to work persimmons into a mojito and here you have it -- a floral and sweet drink with a hint of spicy complexity and the bright taste of lime to balance the warmth of the persimmon. You won't be disappointed by this one!

The recipe below makes enough syrup for several drinks, however I have included mixing instructions for just one drink so you can mix as many or few as you would like.

This is a winning flavor combination and lends itself well to a non-alcoholic drink as well. Simply omit the rum and proceed as usual.

I used one very ripe Fuyu persimmon in this recipe as that was what was available, however I'm sure that a Hachiya would also work well. Just make sure that it is completely ripe! —k s

Test Kitchen Notes

At first, I felt like this syrup would be a lot of work for only a faint hint of persimmon. A full tablespoon of vanilla seemed over the top, too, while a pinch of lime zest seemed too little. The syrup was cloudy and heavy with spice, nothing at all like the clear simple syrup of the mojitos I sip on hot summer days. But upon the first sip, my only thought was "Why does this recipe only make a single cocktail?" Thank you, kangarhubarb, for this well-balanced winter sipper. —cheese1227