Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca (Recipe Inspired by THE UNHONEYMOONERS)

Fair warning, Tartlets: once you taste a Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca, it will be your new summer drink obsession.

#SorryNotSorry

I know a lot of people prefer alcoholic summery drinks (Rosé all day, and all that), but we at the Cottage aren’t really a booze-lovin’ bunch. That said, I still enjoy a good refreshing drink, especially when I’m reading under my pergola during the sweltering New Jersey summers.

Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca is my book-inspired recipe for The Unhoneymooners, which is the perfect read to put you in a fun, summery mood. And, this fresh, super simple drink is this book’s perfect culinary compliment. The pineapple is obviously a nod to Olive and Ethan’s time in Hawaii, and the agua fresca is a great nod to Olive’s Mexican heritage.

What is an agua fresca, you ask? Don’t worry; I didn’t know what it was until a few years ago, when I read about them in Adrianna Adarme’s The Year of Cozy. Agua fresca is a blended fruit drink that’s popular in Mexico and parts of the U.S.; it’s made with fresh fruit, water, and a small amount of sugar. You shove all the ingredients into a blender, give it a whirl, and POOF! You’ve got agua fresca.

Super simple, like I said.

Hmm, what was that? Isn’t an agua fresca just watery fruit?  Or, for you glass-half-full people…fruity water?

Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought when I learned about agua fresca. And, let me be the first to tell you – I was wrong. This amazing drink is somehow SO much more than water and fruit.

You can use honey, agave nectar, or sugar to sweeten an agua fresca, but this Pineapple Mint version uses a mint-infused simple syrup, which is also very easy to make. I poured quite a bit of the syrup into the drink because I wanted to have a sharp minty contrast to the tangy pineapple.

I have to admit, I’m not a huge pineapple fan. Or a mint fan. But, I’m completely sold on this Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca. The combination of flavors is insanely addicting, mostly because the zippy mint syrup perfectly counters the brightness of the fresh pineapple. There’s also a little bit of lime juice in there to help with that sweet-and-sour balance.

I could drink this Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca every day for the rest of the summer. In fact, I’m sipping on one of these babies as I type up this post.

The recipe below makes about 4 servings, but I’m thinking of doubling or tripling it for an upcoming BBQ we’re having. Since there are so few ingredients, it’s the perfect beverage to make for a group, especially since the mint simple syrup makes enough for several batches of agua fresca.

While I may not be able to get to Hawaii this year like Olive and Ethan, at least I can pretend I’m there when I’m sipping on my own Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca.

Cheers to summer!

Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves

PINEAPPLE MINT AGUA FRESCA INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cubed, fresh pineapple
• 2 cups water
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup mint simple syrup (see above)
• extra mint leaves, for garnishing

Instructions

 

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine water, sugar, and fresh mint in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring regularly to help the sugar dissolve, then let simmer 2 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the stove and let cool for 30 minutes, leaving mint leaves in the pot to steep in the syrup.
• Pour the cooled syrup into a lidded container or jar (you may want to use a small strainer for this), then discard the mint leaves. Syrup will keep in a covered jar in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

PINEAPPLE MINT AGUA FRESCA INSTRUCTIONS

• Add pineapple, water, lime juice, and mint syrup to a blender. Put the lid on the blender and blend using the “Smoothie/Puree” function until the mixture is smooth. Taste, and add more lime juice or mint syrup to your liking, if needed.
• Pour agua fresca into glasses filled with ice, then garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.