This papaya mandarin rum cocktail is a perfect refresher for cool evenings. This refreshing cocktail is made with papaya, mandarins, rum, and a handful of ingredients. The addition of jalapeño adds an extra kick to this cocktail, balancing out the subtle sweetness. I hope you can stand the heat.

As spring draws near, I look forward to my Saturday morning ritual, visiting the farmer's market and picking up the juiciest fruits and vegetables of the season. It's citrus season, so it was a no-brainer to quickly mix up two of my favorite fruits in a shaker with some extra help from liquor, of course. Feel free to enjoy this as a mocktail on the rocks, and I bet the taste difference wouldn't be as significant.

Growing up in West Africa, Pawpaw, as it's well known in Nigeria, was one of the well-known snacks to munch on any time of the day. It was all over the place and begging to be devoured. I love it most when it's almost ripe because of the crunchy texture (think, cantaloupe). Sprinkle some sea salt over it, and you might smack your mama.

Before we delve into this papaya mandarin rum cocktail recipe, let's talk briefly about the fruit.

WHAT IS PAPAYA (pawpaw, papaw)?

According to Wiki, "Papaya is a type of fruit in the Carica papaya plant. Originated in the tropics in places like Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, Northern South America, and the subtropical regions worldwide." Papaya fruit is mostly oval-shaped and is sweetest when ripe (soft to the touch). The skin is green to orange in color, depending on the ripening stage. Hidden in the fleshy fruits are robust shiny black seeds oozing in its natural juice. Papaya is often mistaken for the pawpaw; they are two different fruits.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PAPAYA

Papaya is naturally sweet, and you can enjoy it on its own, but adding it to this papaya rum cocktail makes for a perfect refresher. It is a nutritional powerhouse rich in potassium, vitamins, folate, antioxidants, and fiber.

It provides omega-6- fatty acids and Omega-3-fatty acid, which is excellent for heart and brain health.

HOW TO USE PAPAYA

Aside from enjoying it as a snack, here are some ways you can use this tropical papaya fruit;

Make spicy papaya chips.
Papaya ice cream, sherbet, or sorbet
Make a papaya yogurt parfait.
Papaya fruit salad
Use in porridge with other fruits.
Papaya popsicles (similar to these)
Smoothie bowl
Candied papaya
Add it to your skincare routine and make a face mask(among other benefits, it helps with hyperpigmentation and acne.
Juice
Cake
Papaya cocktail

Speaking of cocktails, here are a few ingredients you'll need to shake up this tropical papaya rum cocktail.

Ingredients

The measurements for the ingredients list below can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Fresh papaya puree
Ice
rum
mandarin juice
Angostura orange bitters
freshly squeezed lime juice
agave nectar syrup
jalapenos
Tonic water

To make the papaya puree, you will pulse the chopped Papaya with about ¼ - ½ cup of water in the blender until it's completely smooth. Set aside.

Next, add some ice into a shaker, add the rest of the ingredients except the jalapeño and tonic water. Get those biceps to work, and Shake it. Shake it real good.

Now, add the jalapeño slice and shake it one more time (not for long, or you'll be clearing your sinus in no time). Strain into a coupe glass or whatever fancy vibe you've got going on. You can equally pour it over ice.

Finally, top it with tonic water.

Garnish with mandarin wedges, papaya balls, lime wedges, or jalapeno. Dress it up; after all, you just had an arm workout. Sip Responsibly!

I hope you'll give this simple papaya rum cocktail a try. If you are looking for something with a more tropical flair, try this fan's favorite peach and mango daiquiri.

Share a glass with us on our social media if you make this cocktail using the hashtag worldlytreat(#worldlytreat). We'd love to join the soirée. Also, don't forget to pin it for later. Chat soon?

PEACE & LOVE

Maureen

📖 Recipe