Cocktail Friday: Agave julep

We are a week into our major kitchen renovation. The old kitchen is GONE. It’s rubble, it’s dust, it’s history and good riddance! I have waited 10 years for a new kitchen, I scrimped and saved, I never turned down any freelance work, worked evenings and weekends, and now it is finally happening.

We have moved the contents of the old kitchen into the living room and our amazing building team have put together a temporary kitchen that is actually bigger, better and more functional than the old one. I am sure Alanis Morissette would have something to say about this. We are still trying to adjust, make friends with dust and I need to do some serious meal planning but overall it is not too awful.

But you know what would make everything just a little (ok, a lot!) bit better? A Friday cocktail, that’s right. This one here is awesome. I received three bottles of Cazcabel Tequila through a Twitter competition (I know, right? Twitter is the best) and the Honey Liqueur one is mellow, sweet and perfect in this mint julep variation.

If you use Tequila instead of this you may want to adjust the cocktail slightly – I will give a variation in the notes. Once again the Vitamix is perfect for creating this but you can also make it by hand provided you have plenty of crushed ice.

Agave julep
Serves 2
120ml | 4oz Cazcabel Honey Liqueur
2 large handfuls ice cubes (or crushed ice)
10 mint leaves
Juice of 1 1/2 limes
4 tbsp ice water
Lime wedges and mint sprig to serve

Method

1. In the Vitamix: put the ice in the jug and turn the dial to the frozen option. Pulse until most of the ice is finely crushed. Divide the ice between two glasses.
2. Add the tequila, lime juice, mint leaves and 2 tbsp water to the jug and pulse briefly until the mint leaves are crushed.
3. Pour over the ice in the glasses and serve with lime wedges and a mint sprig in each.

1. By hand: fill two glasses 2/3 up with crushed ice.
2. Muddle the mint with lime juice and then add the tequila and water. Stir and pour over the ice in the glasses. Serve with lime wedges and a mint sprig in each.

Variation: if you are using gold tequila add 1 tbsp agave nectar or honey to sweeten the cocktail.