Miss Mojito has a confession to make: she has found herself a new favorite drink, and it is NOT a cocktail. The occasion: a baby shower for my sister-in-law (and soon-to-be-born niece). The drink: a fruity mocktail.
Jason Wilson provided the inspiration in his April 5 Washington Post article, “Taking Mocktails Seriously.” The audience for the mocktail is a sizeable one, not limited solely to mothers-to-be. Imbibers on a budget might find themselves attracted to the mocktail’s relative affordability. Those on a diet might enjoy the favorable calorie count of the liquor-free libation. And others, like Miss Mojito, might just like the drink’s inherent refreshing tastiness!
We took our cues from Mr. Wilson and looked to his “Folic Fizz,” which he 
adapted from Natalie Bovis-Nelsen’s 2008 book, Preggatinis. We made a few alterations ourselves, and changed the name from the vitaminal-sounding “Folic Fizz” to “Cantaloupe Fizz.” We reduced the sweetness, added a mint garnish and made a big batch for a crowd. The end result is beyond refreshing, with an in-your-face cantaloupe flavor that’s enhanced by the tangy lime and fresh mint. And, for those so inclined, it would transition well to a true cocktail with a shot of gin!
Cantaloupe Fizz
Serves 15
- 3 cantaloupes
- 3 teaspoons superfine sugar
- 8 ounces fresh lime juice
- 6-7 strawberries
- 15 ounces lime-flavored sparkling soda water
- Ice
- Mint
Cut cantaloupe into chunks and puree in food processor. Strain puree through a fine mesh sieve to extract cantaloupe juice (reserve the “pulp” for another use or discard). Mix cantaloupe juice, lime juice and sugar in a large pitcher. Thinly slice strawberries and add to mixture. Top with sparkling soda water. Serve over ice with a sprig of mint garnish.
Posted by Miss Mojito.
Shoes & Cocktails 
This sounds delicious! Do you think you could do it with other fruits or mellons? I’m totally pregnant and dreaming of cocktails but not a lover of cantalope. Maybe peaches with orange flavored sparkling soda?
JD, Miss Mojito must confess that before trying this cocktail, she wasn’t crazy for cantaloupe, either! It’s something about the lime and mint, though, that make the flavor so great. But I definitely think other melons would work as a substitute. Honeydew comes to mind as your best bet – I’m guessing that watermelon would be a bit too watery. And an experiment with peaches certainly couldn’t hurt – that might be a good approximation of a bellini mocktail, in fact! Raspberry and lime might be another nice combo to try (if you strain out those seeds).
Hello Miss Mojito,
Thanks for the mention of my book “Preggatinis!” The recipe for Folic Fizz is one of my own (not Jason Wilson’s) – although I LOVED his wonderful Washington Post article on mocktails.
I teach cocktail classes around the country, and always encourage my students to “make the drink their own,” so its great to see your interpretation of my drink.
I hope you enjoy it often throughout the summer. And, I’m happy to discover your blog.
Kind regards, Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (aka: The Liquid Muse), author of “Preggatinis™: Mixology for the Mom-To-Be.”