Sarah and Dulcie's seasonal recipes don't stop at fork-friendly foods on their Two Tarts blog. In their new column, Locally Mixed, they expand on their interest in scratch-made sippables, and prove that cocktails are just as deserving of fresh, local flavors.

This week, Sarah and Dulcie's three-herb mojito is like a breath of fresh garden air.

- Sarah & Dulcie

We've had a remarkably mild winter this year, and we're wishing we could start planting in our gardens. (Don't be fooled by these 80-degree days in early April -- we Boulderites are supposed to wait until May 15 to plant anything frost-sensitive!) Fortunately for us, vivacious mint and its close cousin lemon balm are already looking quite robust in our backyards. We plucked them right out of our gardens and combined them with a sprig of thyme to make our Spring Herb Mojito.

I've had lemon balm in my garden for many years, but never quite knew what to do with it. Even though I wasn't cooking with it, I still always appreciated the zesty lemon aroma mingling with the other scents in my herb garden. The leaves also have a lemony flavor as fans of lemon balm tea already know. The citrus touch of the plant lends itself well to these lime-kissed mojitos. Mint is, of course, the traditional herb found in mojitos, and thyme is added as an aromatic garnish. Take a sip, breathe in the herbs, and watch the tulips come in. Spring is here!

Spring Herb Mojito

Makes 1 cocktail

1 teaspoon sugar
1 small lime, juiced
3 leaves lemon balm
3 leaves mint
2 ounces white rum
1 ounce sparkling water
1 sprig thyme

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Like this post? See Sarah and Dulcie's previous topic: Frozen Berry Daiquiri.

All photos by Sarah Welle and Dulcie Wilcox.

Sarah and Dulcie run the blog Two Tarts, which specializes in delicious recipes and cocktails using local and seasonal ingredients.