Romance and the Porch Crawler

Is it Thirsty Thursday?

Many know I living in a log home located in the woods of Michigan. My porch is 8' x 60' and is treated like a room during warm weather months.

One of my favorite (and romantic) things to do is sit on the porch with hubby enjoying an adult beverage. Hubby likes hot things. (Well of course... he married ME didn't he?) If you like a little spice with a fun drink, try this tasty punch-like beverage. A perfect way to end a day of yard work and inspire a romantic evening.

THE PORCH CRAWLER

Ingredients:

5 cherries, pitted

1 cherry for garnish

3 mint leaves

1 sprig of mint for garnish

1 hot chili pepper, such as Serrano, halved and seeded

Ice

2 oz white rum

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1 oz Basic Simple Syrup see below

2 oz chilled club soda

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the 5 pitted cherries, mint leaves, and chili pepper. Add ice and the rum, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake well. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Stir in the club soda. Garnish with a cherry and mint sprig.

Basic Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

1 c sugar

1 c water

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 3 min. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

The syrup can be refrigerated in a glass jar fro up to 1 month.

*********************************************

Mary Quast writes contemporary erotic romance. Her latest books have been a class reunion romance and military shifter romance for the 1 Night Stand series from Decadent Publishing. Visit Mary on her blog, Romantic Interludes.