Raspberry Lime Rickey

We made this delicious drink to serve with fish tacos.  We weren't originally planning on having a special drink with dinner, but we decided at the last minute to add this drink to our menu.  Luckily--this is really fast to make.  We put the syrup into the mixture into the freezer so it would cool quickly.  Plus, the ice in the glasses helps make sure everything is icy and delicious. This delectable drink had even our naysayer of carbonation going for seconds!!!!!! 

Raspberry Lime Rickey

3 cups frozen raspberries (one 12-ounce package)

2 cups sugar

½ cup water

4 teaspoons grated lime zest

½ cup juice from 4 limes

Seltzer or club soda, chilled

Ice

1.        Make syrup:  Heat raspberries, sugar, and water in saucepan over medium heat until raspberries begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes.  Mash with potato masher until berries break down, then stir in lime zest and juice.  Simmer until mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2.       Pour raspberry mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid (you should have about 2 ½ cups).  Discard berry solids.  Refrigerate syrup until completely cool, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 week.  To serve, combine 3/4 cup seltzer and 2 tablespoons syrup in tall, ice-filled glass.