Spring Strawberry Mint Drink

# What You Need:

01 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

02 - 1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

03 - 1 lemon, sliced into rounds

04 - 1 lime, sliced into rounds

05 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

06 - 1/3 cup simple syrup

07 - 4 cups cold sparkling water

08 - 1 cup cold still water

09 - Extra strawberry slices

10 - Additional mint sprigs

11 - Lemon or lime wheels

01 - In a large pitcher, combine the sliced strawberries, mint leaves, lemon slices, and lime slices.

02 - Gently muddle the fruit and mint with a muddler or the back of a spoon to release their flavors.

03 - Add the lemon juice and simple syrup to the pitcher. Stir well to combine.

04 - Pour in the sparkling water and still water. Stir gently to combine all ingredients.

05 - Fill glasses with ice, pour in the mocktail, and garnish with extra strawberry slices, mint sprigs, and citrus wheels.

06 - Serve immediately for maximum fizziness and optimal flavor.

01 -

It's made entirely from things you can grab at any farmer's market, and it actually tastes like spring in a glass.
No fancy equipment or techniques needed—just muddling and stirring, which means even kids can help make it.
You can scale it up for ten people or down for two, and it stays refreshing without ever tasting watered down.

02 -

Don't make this more than a few hours ahead or the mint will turn dark and bitter—the herbs stay fresh and bright if you drink it the same day.
If you oversweeten it, you can't fix it, so start with less simple syrup and let people adjust their own glass with extra or less syrup if needed.

03 -

Freeze some of your strawberries ahead of time and use them instead of regular ice cubes—they melt slower and flavor the drink as they do.
Muddle the mint first before adding other fruit, because mint releases its oils faster than strawberries and you want it to have a head start.