Apple Mint Awakening

Apple juice and mint make an easy sparkling drink, with a familiar sweetness and a cooler herbal finish. Mint changes the aroma more than the texture, so you don’t need a heap of leaves to notice it. Press them gently before adding the apple juice. The sparkling water should make this feel lighter than juice, leaving enough apple flavor that the glass still has something to say.

Ingredients

• 6 oz Sparkling water
• 2 oz Apple juice
• 5 leaf Mint leaves

Make it

1. Add the fruit and herbs to a glass. Gently press soft fruit or herbs to release their flavor.
2. Stir in the juice, any optional salt or sweetener, and the water. If using sparkling water, add it last and stir once.
3. Add ice if you like. Let infused water stand for 5 minutes for a fuller flavor.

Benefits

Apple juice and mint · refreshing fluids

The water does a simple, useful job in this apple juice and mint combination: it contributes to hydration while stretching a familiar orchard flavor into a full drink.

Make room for mint

Mint gives the apple juice a fresh, cooling aroma—an aromatic pairing to serve freshly mixed, while the bubbles are lively.