Skip to main content

Mocktails




What's a girl to do when for various reasons (pregnancy, antibiotics or masochistic sacrifice) one finds herself unable to drink?  This has of course come up for me on several occasions recently.  There are only so many bad sparkling juices a girl can drink before she has to resort to coming up with her own concoctions.  Luckily, I have not had major cravings for alcohol.  I'm too busy craving ice cream.  But this completely gorgeous and summer like weather had me craving a summer drink.  I really wanted a cool and refreshing mojito and was just starting to banish the craving to July when I realized a mojito is actually a good drink to have with or without alcohol.  I whipped one up and to my pleasant surprise, this is one refreshing drink I'd have even if I could have alcohol.  It lead me to come up with a n/a version of my other favorite cocktail, the Cosmo.   My CosNo isn't quite as satisfying booze free but it is a good substitute when the need arises.  Feel free to make these mocktails cocktails by adding a healthy dose of booze. 

Fauxjito (Faux Mojito)

Start by making a simple syrup.  In a saucepan over low heat, add four tablespoons sugar and four tablespoons water.  Shake the pan over the heat so it mixes and let it simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Turn of the heat and set aside.  Zest 1/2 teaspoon lime into simple syrup.  Let cool.

Meanwhile, put a few sprigs of fresh mint in the bottom of two glasses and with the bottom of a wooden spoon muddle (pound) the mint leaves so they are bruised, but not torn.  Add ice to the glasses and squeeze the juice of half of a lime in each glass.  Depending on how juicy the limes are will depend on how much simple syrup you'll need to add.  You will probably want to add two tablespoons of the simple syrup to each glass (more sugar for a really juicy lime.)  Top each glass with club soda and stir.  To make a true mojito, add a healthy splash of light rum.  (Serves 2)

 
CosNo  (Cosmopolitan No alcohol)

In a cocktail shaker, add ice.  Add cranberry juice, two splashes of Rose's Lime Juice (next to the grenadine in the alcohol aisle or add a few squeezes of fresh lime juice), and two big splashes of water.  Shake and add to a martini glass.  Add a lime twist.  (Serves 2)


 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Letters to Bunny

Wow.  I didn't think I would ever be writing these letters, but I am so happy I am!  When I was pregnant with your big brother, we called him Pumpkin when he was in my belly and now I have started calling you Bunny, so that is why I call these, Letters to Bunny.  I didn't think I'd be writing these letters because it took almost 5 very long years to have you!  Now that you are here, I'm still in disbelief, but so happy I get to be a mom all over again!  Thank God! Being a mom is something I wanted to be my whole life.  When we had your big brother, Nate, it was the happiest time!  I knew right away that I wanted to have another baby.  Unfortunately, it wasn't so easy for me to get pregnant.  I didn't understand why.  We did lots of things to try to have a baby.  I went to many doctors, took many tests and x-rays, and after awhile of doing all these things, I kind of lost hope that I would ever be able to have another baby...

Horseradish Encrusted Salmon

I know I've been touting easy, fast meals lately, but this one really takes the cake in simplicity and taste.  Joe took one bite and said, "this tastes like something I would get at a restaurant."  As I've mentioned, the only other adjective I've ever gotten from him on a meal before was "good."  This was a revelation.  Besides being all of the above, this is a healthy, low fat meal.  Definitely something you should be making soon! Horseradish Encrusted Salmon (based on Real Simple recipe) 4  6-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet kosher salt and black pepper 1/4  cup  bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned breadcrumbs) 1  tablespoon prepared horseradish 1  tablespoon olive oil Heat oven to 400º F. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with tin foil for easy clean up. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, horseradish and oil. Top the salmon wit...

Italian Cream Soda

It's too darn hot to cook.  That doesn't mean though that you can't make something great from your kitchen.  This isn't really much of a recipe but I'm addicted to these right now.  I had one at a great Italian restaurant recently and I couldn't see why I wouldn't be able to make this at home.  Italian cream sodas can be made with any flavored syrup.  My favorite is raspberry.  The cream with the raspberry flavor is an unbeatable combination.  If you wanted to make this a little lighter, you can make an Italian Soda by simply omitting the cream.  This is a perfect summer drink.  Refreshing, uncomplicated and simple to whip up - no cooking required! Fill a glass with ice.  Pour about a half an inch of syrup into the bottom of the dish.  Use any flavor of Torani syrup you wish.  (These can be found at most markets by coffees or teas.)  Fill the glass with club soda and add a splash of cream (or half and hal...