 Happy hour for Dry January doesn't get much easier than a Virgin Mule. It's just ginger ale and lime juice. But, you're going to make this feel special and grown-up, so you don't feel deprived...right? The easiest way to do that is to get a special glass...I chose a pretty rocks glass...and a giant ice cube. (To make the mule feel more authentic, use a copper mug!)
I like a non-alcoholic ginger beer ( natch) that has a nice spicy ginger bite. They cost a little more, but you're saving so much by not buying booze, it's ok. In this drink, I used Fentiman's Ginger Beer, but also like Reed's and Fever Tree, as well. Recipe: juice from 1/3 lime 1/2 bottle (about 6 oz) quality ginger beer mint leaves (optional) (Some virgin mule recipes call for simple syrup and soda water too,,, but I like mine less sweet and more spicy.) Method: - Place ice cube in rocks glass or copper mule mug - Squeeze lime juice into glass - If using mint, briefly muddle gently with lime juice - Top with ginger beer and stir - Garnish with lime wedge and mint leaves Sip and enjoy!
0 Comments
 The chilly, short days and long shadows of fall are upon us. This is what I used to refer to as, "bourbon weather." But it's naturally apple season, so I turned to my local farm stand for the main ingredient in this new fall favorite. Bark and cardamom biters give a nod to bourbon, making this a spicy, satisfying zero-proof cocktail you can sip anytime. But I particularly love it in front of the fire. Cheers!
Apple New-fashioned 3 parts non-alcoholic apple cider (Find one at a farm stand if that's possible in your region.) 3/4 part oleo-saccharum syrup (store-bought or homemade) 2 droppers of Cassia bark bitters from Infuse Bitters cardamom bitters Ice Place large ice cube in rocks glass. Add ingredients and stir gently. Top with touch of soda water if desired. Garnish with lemon peel.  iThis is the first non-alcoholic mocktail I had in a restaurant that wasn’t served in a pint glass with a straw. I said, “I’d like a non-alcoholic cocktail that’s not too sweet and is served in a cocktail glass.” The accommodating and talented bartender served me this simple grapefruit-based drink. My friend liked it so much that she had one too!
You can order it at nearly any bar and easily make it at home. Cheers! Ingredients
Add juices and to a cocktail shaker filled 1/2 way with ice. Stir or shake to combine until well chilled. Top with tonic water and a touch of soda water to taste and stir gently. Strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with lemon twist. (I am always fiddling with proportions. Adjust all ingredients to taste)  I re-recreated this summery mocktail after a version of it I had at the Oyster Loft in Pismo Beach, CA. It’s refreshing, balanced, and left me thinking that alcohol would spoil this libation. Ingredients
Add juices and syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir or shake to combine until well chilled. Top with soda water to taste and stir gently. Strain into chilled coupe glass and garnish with sprig of rosemary. *Rosemary Simple Syrup Place 2 cups granulated sugar and 2 cups water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer, adding 3 tablespoons crushed or broken rosemary leaves. Remove from heat after 20-30 minutes and let cool to room temperature. Strain into a glass jar and keep in refrigerator for up to four months.  In my drinking days, I loved a good gin. The primary botanical in gin is juniper, so substituting juniper syrup to my old favorite gin drinks is a delicious, alcohol-free alternative to the hard stuff.
Ingredients 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups water 2 tablespoons juniper berries Method
  In late spring/early summer, the Douglas Firs in the Pacific Northwest show off their new growth with chartreuse needles on the ends of the boughs. These leaves have a sweet/citrusy/piney flavor that lends itself to a simple, unique mocktail. I make a simple syrup with the needles - many people use it to make tea, which is a good option if you're avoiding sugar. For this zero-proof drink, I mix the syrup with tonic and add a twist and olives, serving it up in a coupe glass. Doug Fir Syrup Ingredients 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups water 1/4 cup Douglas Fir needles Method
Doug Firtino Combine syrup and tonic water in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir gently and strain into a chilled coupe glass, or enjoy on the rocks.  Until I went dry, my Sunday evening routine was to have a dry martini served up in a chilled coupe glass with two olives and a twist. So when I gave alcohol the boot, I was dead set on finding an elegant replacement that felt as special as that Sunday night martini. I was over the moon when I created this drink! Even my husband, who still has that gin martini, said, "Wow, I'd drink that!" This is briny with juniper notes and a touch of sweetness that you'll want to sip slowly.
Ingredients
Method To a a cocktail shaker filled1/2 way with ice, add the Seedlip Garden, syrup and olive brine and stir vigorously. Top with soda water and stir gently until well chilled. (do NOT shake or you'll have a soda explosion!) Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with olives and lemon twist, if desired. Cheers! NOTE: for all recipes, adjust to your taste |