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Muddling Through: Blueberry Mint Fizz (and a Sodastream Free Syrup Giveaway)

· 30 Comments

It often feels like there's an unwritten rule in the food blog world is that once Labour Day weekend is over, it's time to pack away the summery flavours and spend the next two solid months talking about pumpkin.

Heck, even the coffee chains are getting in on the game this year. When the Starbucks barista sweetly offered me a sample of Pumpkin Spice Latte last week as I was ordering my venti iced coffee (with nonfat milk and two pumps of hazelnut syrup, pleaseandthankyou), it was all I could do not to kick her in the shins. Or cry like a baby. Or maybe both at the same time.

Blueberry Mint Gin Fizz

It's madness, people. MADNESS, I tell you. I mean, it was warm enough outside to wear shorts and sandals. Pumpkin spice weather is cool and crisp and breezy, not sticky and muggy and humid enough to dial my hair's volume up to 11.

According to my calendar, we still have three more weeks to go before summer is officially over, and I for one plan on milking that last stretch for all it's worth.

Blueberries, Mint and Lemon Syrup

Which is why, despite the fact that it's considered gauche to post a summery recipe past Labour Day, I'm still going to go ahead and share these freakin' delicious Blueberry Mint Fizz cocktails. They're basically the lovechild of a gin fizz and a blueberry mojito, and absolutely perfect for sipping outdoors while you bask in the last of the summertime heat.

The base for this cocktail is sparkling water flavoured with the Fresh Lemonade soda mix from Sodastream's new line of Free syrups, which are free of artificial sweeteners, flavours, colours and preservatives. Naturally flavoured and lightly sweetened with fructose for a lower-calorie alternative to regular soft drinks, they come in six fruity flavours including Green Tea Lychee, Passion-Mango, Apple-Peach and Kiwi-Pear. Each bottle has enough syrup to flavour a dozen 1L bottles of sparkling water.

Blueberry Mint Gin Fizz

I first discovered the Free line earlier this summer at a Sodastream launch party, and was lucky enough to get my hands on some free samples to try out at home for myself plus a couple of bottles to give away to one lucky reader.

Yes, that's right. There are two bottles of delicious soda mix up for grabs! Just scroll on down to the bottom of the post for more details.

I've been keeping the Free soda mix on hand for the days when I don't have time to make up a new batch of homemade syrup, since they're not overly sweet or fake tasting, and they don't have that slightly "off" artificial sweetener taste that some of the other soda mixes on the market often have. (Oh, and the Passion-Mango makes a killer caipirinha. Just sayin'.)

Blueberry Mint Gin Fizz

So, as gauche or not I'm going to make another batch of these cocktails later this week. And then I'm going to sip one while sitting on my back deck, while wearing my white jeans and white sandals. Because I'm a rebel like that.

There will be plenty of time for pumpkin spice everything once fall actually does arrive. And it will be all the sweeter for having waited. Promise.

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Disclosure: I received complimentary samples of Sodastream Free soda mixes from the Mint Agency on behalf of Sodastream Canada for review and giveaway purposes. All other elements of the prize pack are being supplied by yours truly. All opinions, as always, are entirely my own.

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4.3 from 3 reviews
Blueberry-Mint Fizz
 
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Prep time
Total time
 
This refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) is made with muddled mint and blueberries plus sparkling lemonade for a perfect summertime sipper.
Author:
Recipe type: Drinks
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ½ cup fresh blueberries
  • 2 sprigs fresh mint
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 4 cups soda water
  • 1 cap (40ml) Sodastream Free Fresh Lemonade soda mix
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ cup gin (optional)
  • Lemon slices, for garnish
  • Blueberries, for garnish
  • Mint sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a large pitcher, combine the blueberries, mint and sugar. Using the back of a wooden spoon, muddle the berries until they've released their juices.
  2. Add the soda water, Sodastream Free Lemon Syrup, lemon juice and gin, if using. Stir to combine.
  3. To serve, divide the cocktail into four tall glasses filled with ice, and garnish with slices of lemon, sprigs of mint and fresh whole blueberries.
Notes
If you can't locate the Fresh Lemonade syrup, you can also substitute for ¼ cup of simple syrup and increase the lemon juice to ¼ cup.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

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The Prize:
One lucky reader will win:

  • 2 full-sized Sodastream Free soda mixes (Apple-Peach and Raspberry-Cranberry flavours)
  • 1 variety pack of MyWater flavour essences
  • 1 reusable Sodastream carbonating bottle

How to Enter:
Leave a comment with your favourite sparkling summertime cocktail or mocktail. And please, no pumpkin spice! :)

Bonus Entries:
You can also get up to four more entries by:
1. Following @Izzbell on Twitter
2. Liking Crumb: A Food Blog on Facebook
3. Following Izzbell on Instagram
4. Following Izzbell on Pinterest

Remember: You should leave one comment for each additional bonus entry, so that I can count them separately. Please also make sure you provide a valid email address with each comment so that I can contact you if you win.

Eligibility and Deadlines:
This contest is open to Canadian readers only (apologies, my US and overseas friends).
Entries will be accepted until midnight September 8th, at which time a winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries received before the deadline.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ann says

    I kind of love you because you used the word gauche. I have no attention span for contests but that doesn't mean I don't hope I win. But I paid no attention to entry requirements. Fingers crossed. Nice to meet you.

    Reply

  2. Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says

    I hope Nancy won this! :P gorgeous photos, Isabelle! and I love your writing. . I know you wrote this earlier in the month, but I couldn't agree more. . celebrate summer for as long as possible because there will be plenty of time for pumpkin spice everything later.

    Reply

  7. Nancy @ gottagetbaked says

    You keep doin' you, Isabelle! I drink mojitos, eat ice cream and summery foods like fish 'n chips all year long so there ain't nothin' wrong with posting a cocktail recipe after Labour Day. This sounds delicious. Damn, I'm awfully parched right now. My fave summertime drink is definitely the classic mojito. Once I started I can't stop drinking them! I recently had a ginger beer mojito and it was freaking awesome.

    Reply

  10. Mark says

    Just got a soda stream....pretty sure this is going to be my new favorite summertime drink.
    Pumpkin flavour is never good, not even in the fall.

    Reply

  11. Stephanie says

    I also follow you on Pinterest (again, kitchen frolic).

    p.s. I'm not ready for pumpkin spice yet. I desperately cling to summer like a squirrel clings to its last peanut.

    Reply

  15. Kim Beaulieu says

    Dude, follow you on pinterest too.

    Pumpkin is icky. Especially in summer. Which is now. Slow down people, soak it all in. Summer should never end.

    Soda streams rule. I want one, I need one, I must have one.

    Reply

  16. Kim Beaulieu says

    Ditto for Instagram. I stalk you there too.

    Have I mentioned how much I hate pumpkin? And people who serve it too soon? And people who think summer is over one minute it's actually over. September 22, mark your calendars peeps, that's the day Kim will cry.

    Reply

  19. Kim Beaulieu says

    I've been chomping at the bit to try a soda stream. We were eyeing them up the other day. I think the first thing I'd make is a fizzy pink lemonade mocktail. I really love a simple spiked watermelon slushie too. It's a once in a blue moon indulgence.

    Great giveaway. Love my fellow Canucks, so I'll be happy to spread the word.

    And ditto on pumpkin, blech. Ick. Blah. Yuck.

    Reply

  20. Ayngelina says

    My boyfriend is a chef and the pickle king so I love a smoked blueberry margarita but he is always pickling fruit and when I want to make a cocktail I love how there is pickled strawberries or cranberries to add to the mix.

    Reply

  21. Katrin says

    Wow, didn't know they offered these so super glad I checked out your post (was looking at the recipe first haha)
    I love me a nice lemonade with blueberry syrup!

    Reply

  23. Ashley @ QLCC says

    My favorite summertime cocktail is Deep Eddy Ruby Red with seltzer (that I make in my soda stream!). I'm also OBSESSED with my Soda Stream and now I need to try out these "free" thingies...

    Reply

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