I’ve only been to a handful of states in my own country so I was excited to visit Maine a few weeks ago. Many of my recent travels have involved international flights and layovers and customs so I was looking forward to a quick trip up north.

I was in the town of Harpswell, which is located on a peninsula in Eastern Maine about an hour outside of Portland. Harpswell’s shoreline, which overlooks a bright blue Catsco Bay, is very rugged and rocky, but the town itself is quiet and peaceful especially during the off-season.

One fun fact I learned during my time in Maine is that it is the United States’ largest producer of wild blueberries.

I wanted to make something with one of the world’s greatest superfoods in honor of my trip to the Pine Tree State. However, I could only come up with recipes for muffins or tarts or crumbles, and I wasn’t much in the mood for baking.

As I was walking past our bar, which is stocked with Logan’s collection of rums, it hit me. Blueberry mojitos!

This is certainly a cocktail best enjoyed a few months down the road perhaps at a barbecue or a pool party (additionally, the height of blueberry season in Maine is July and August) but I had to test the recipe first, right? If you need to find me this summer, Logan and I will be lying in front of our air conditioner in a ginger-infused blueberry mojito haze.

Ginger-Infused Blueberry Mojitos

Ingredients

Ginger-Infused Simple Syrup

Makes 12 ounces of simple syrup. Leftover syrup can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month. Mix with plain seltzer for homemade all-natural ginger ale!

1 cup cold water
1 cup brown sugar
2 ounces ginger, peeled and sliced

Mojitos

This recipe is for mojitos by the glass; the amount of ingredients below will be enough for at least four 8-ounce glasses

6-ounce container of blueberries
1 lime, cut into wedges (more if you want to garnish with lime wedges)
1 bunch of fresh mint
1 liter plain seltzer
8 ounces rum
8 ounces ginger-infused simple syrup
Ice cubes

Directions

Ginger-infused Simple Syrup

Add the water, sugar, and ginger to a saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to completely dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the ginger slices. Allow the syrup to cool.