Spring — and spring break — are in the air and nearly here. Sadly, I will be enjoying a grad student’s spring break; in other words, a full week’s work with fewer interruptions by classes and departmental excuses to eat.

Nevertheless, I’ve got a taste for fruity adult beverages. Next week, I’m hosting a friend’s Ithaca bachelorette party, and her preferred party spirit is rum. Not my favorite, but I bet I can make twenty giddy grads ready to dance with my upscale “gelatin shots.”

You can make a gelatin shot out of just about anything as long as you follow these simple steps:

1) Sprinkle unflavored gelatin on a cold liquid first (this can be your alcohol)

2) Add a hot non-alcoholic liquid to the gelatin slurry

3) Leave out any chunks; they don’t slide down well

I added passion fruit juice to make it even more exciting. (The Latin food aisle is a gold mine of tropical juices.) And remember, gelatin comes from animals, so warn your vegetarian friends.

Passion Fruit Mojito Gelatin Shot (makes about 8 shots)

½ cup simple syrup (I nuked mine; equal parts water and sugar, stir frequently)

1 packet unflavored gelatin

½ cup fresh squeezed lime juice

¼ cup coarsely chopped, muddled mint leaves

½ cup passion fruit juice

½ cup white rum

Mix fruit juices in a bowl, add mint leaves to steep for about 15 min. Heat simple syrup (not quite to boiling). Mix about half of syrup with rum, cool in fridge, and sprinkle gelatin on top. Microwave fruit juice for 30 sec, strain into rum mixture, and add remaining, warm simple syrup. Mix well and pour into disposable cups and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.