C'est Mardi Gras! Excuse my French, but today is Fat Tuesday! It's time for fun-filled indulgence before fasting a beloved or valued item, for Lent, to acknowledge and replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice. 

     Up here in Pennsylvania, there's not much New Orleans spirit considering it is cold and wet and everyone is sick. So I decided to make a traditional celebratory virgin cocktail called mint julep, better known from the Kentucky Derby. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients 

THIS ONLY YIELDS ROUGHLY ONE LITER

1. 1 cup of lemon juice
2. 1/2 cup of sugar
3. 1/2 cup of water
4. 2 mint stems (or more depending on preference)
5. 1 liter of ginger ale

Directions

• -Slice and squeeze lemons; or prepackaged lemon juice
• -Combine water, sugar,, and lemon juice in medium saucepan. (If a stronger mint flavor is desired, boil along with other ingredients.)
• -Boil solution until sugar is completely dissolved
• -Wait 30 minutes for it to cool
• -Combine solution and ginger ale and stir
• -Optional; Add 1/2 teaspoon of green food coloring and rim glasses with agave and green sugar