Cherry mojitos
It’s been an absolute bumper cherry harvest this year. We’ve scoffed cherries all summer and they’re still in our local farm shop even now, as fat and juicy and gorgeous as ever. As they’re coming to an end now, look out for bargains and ‘two punnets for the price of one’ deals, as cherries freeze really well. If you’ve got a glut right now, may I suggest the cherry mojito? They’re pretty scrumptious!
So, for the cherry mojito, you will need:
A punnet or two of big fat British cherries (these ones were from A R Neaves, who are based in Kent – historically the home of British cherries)
A few sprigs of mint (mine is still doing well in the garden here)
Some brown sugar
A couple of limes
White rum (or if you want to make it a bit more autumnal, how about some Morgan’s Spiced Rum?)
Soda water
You know I love a gadget and - behold - the OXO cherry pitter (£11.50). This little beauty works really well for olives too:
OXO cherry pitter
So first, use your awesome gadget to pit your cherries (or just do it the old fashioned way)
Pop a few cherries in the bottom of each glass along with some mint leaves and a teaspoon of brown sugar (adjust the sweetness to taste).
Muddle it all up (I used a wooden citrus reamer but the handle of a wooden spoon will do) so you release the juice of the cherries and the flavour of the mint.
Add in a large slug of your alcohol of choice, plus a generous squeeze of lime.
Add a handful of ice cubes and top up with soda water.
Drink!
This one’s dedicated to Mr English who has put up with me for a number of years and has been married to me for no less than 21 - today, actually! Happy anniversary, Jim. You probably deserve a medal xx
Oh I need a cherry pitter and of course a cherry mojito too.
Happy Anniversary, we’ve just celebrated our 20th.
I’ve got so many gadget, though, Jan - I’ll have to have a cull soon haha. Oh happy anniversary to you too - we need medals 🙂
Ha ha we do indeed.
I was amazed to see cherries at 50p a punnet in almost every lay by on the way home from Stonehenge! They are like £4 a pop oop North!!
Oh wow that’s really cheap! Hope you bagged a load x