One of my favorite times of year is when all berries come into season.  I can still remember being a little girl growing up in Tennessee and picking blackberries from bushes that grew in our neighborhood or on the side of the road.  We would eat them all day while playing outside.  They were sweet and juicy and made for perfect snacking for me and my friends.  It's my mission to find some places here in Texas that I can go and pick fresh berries this year!  I love picking them straight from the farm and there is something about the fresh picked ones that make them extra sweet and special!  I happen to use blackberries a lot mixed into drinks because of their sweet and slightly tart flavor.  My blackberry mule mocktails are the perfect Springtime drink to enjoy at any time of day!

Of course, you can always make these into a cocktail by simply adding vodka, and let's be honest, if I wasn't preggers over here you know that's exactly what I would have done.  But this drink is for all of my other pregnant lady friends and for those of you who don't drink!  Or maybe you just want a fun non-alcoholic drink to serve at parties or to fix yourself on a hot day!

Regardless, this drink is perfectly delicious.  It's tangy, tart, slightly sweet, and so refreshing on a warm day.  You can make a big batch or whip yourself up a single serving in a matter of minutes!  I promise you will love this twist on the classic Moscow mule!  

And hey, if you happen to have strawberries or blueberries instead of blackberries on hand, I would not be mad at either one of those substitutions!   But I gotta say there is something about the blackberries mixed with ginger beer, lime, and fresh mint that just make this drink extra special!

It's almost Friday which means the weekend is practically here, so do yourself a favor and make yourself a blackberry mule mocktail (eh er cocktail) to kick start the weekend a little early!

Ingredients:

• 12 Blackberries

• Juice from Two Limes

• 12 Mint Leaves

• 2 Ginger Beers

• Crushed Ice (recommended, but not necessary)

*optional add vodka

Directions:

• Muddle 6 blackberries, one lime cut into wedges, and 6 mint leaves in the bottom of each glass until all the juices from the berries and limes have been released.

• Fill glasses with crushed ice.

• Top off with ginger beer and stir to mix well.

• Garnish with extra berries, mint leaves, and lime wedges.

• Serve immediately.

Also, it's kind of a beautiful drink...right?  I love the colors of the blackberries with the bright green of the mint and lime!  Who wouldn't want to drink that?  Cheers!