Photo by Richard Maack Garden Mojito

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we searched for the greenest drink we could find.

Begorrah! It wasn’t at any Irish pub – it was the Garden Mojito ($9) at the hip Parlor Pizzeria in Phoenix’s Biltmore area.

The green comes from fresh mint and basil leaves, plucked straight from the restaurant’s bountiful garden located alongside the building as you enter. Bartenders place about eight or nine mint leaves, one or two basil leaves (depending on size) and a small handful of seeded and skinned English cucumber chunks in a pint glass. They squeeze in two lime wedges, discarding one and dropping the other in the glass, then muddle well to release all the oils and tear up the leaves.

After muddling, they add one-half ounce mint-infused simple syrup. (To make the syrup, take one part sugar to three parts water, boil over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, turn the heat off, throw in a handful of mint leaves to steep for 10 minutes, and then strain it.) Add ice and 1¼ ounces light rum (they use Bacardi) in a shaker, give it one or two good shakes, add it to the pint glass, fill three-quarters of the rest of the space with ginger ale, if desired, and top with club soda.

Say ciao to green beer forever.

Parlor Pizzeria
1916 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix
602-248-2480,
theparlor.us