Today, we’re starting a new series titled “But I Can’t Cook” and we’re making a virgin cocktail, aka mocktail!
MOCKTAILS
We’re doing a lot of staying at home, but many of us miss the little luxuries offered by restaurants. I’m going to be sharing tips on how to get that restaurant feel at home with scant cooking skills, all while turning yourself into the hostess with the mostest.
I love to make fun drinks that the whole family can enjoy. That’s where mocktails come in!
Whipping up these drinks never ceases to impress my guests, as they’re surprised you can have a fancy beverage without alcohol. A winning mocktail is really about presentation and mixing up the right flavors.
I find the combination of citrus, something sparkly, a fruit, something tart or savoury and a garnish is always a success!
For this mocktail we’re using unsweetened morello cherry juice, blueberry + sage simple syrup, a grapefruit garnish and grapefruit flavored sparkling water. It’s quite simple!
MOCKTAIL RECIPE
Firstly, make the simple syrup. Adding the sage into this recipe adds a more complex flavor profile and cuts down on the sweetness of all the fruits. Keeping your drink from being overly sweet turns it into more of a cocktail type drink and less of a fun kids drink.
SIMPLE SYRUP
Muddle two fresh sage leaves together with ¼ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries. Add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Pop it in to the microwave in a glass measuring glass for 3 minutes. Next, strain the fruit out of the glass with a fine mesh sieve.
PRESENTATION
Peel off a swath of your grapefruit skin and set it aside. We’ll use it to add the essence over the drinks. I prefer to use a very sharp paring knife, but you can also use a vegetable peeler.
To really wow your guests (or heck, yourself!) peel the rind of your grapefruit in a pretty dainty spiral. I love this video tutorial for the basics. If you prefer, you can just add a slice of your grapefruit over the edge of your glass.
I love to use my beautiful champagne flutes that I inherited from my mother to really add to the glamour of the drinks. Here is a similar set on sale for a great price. It may seem pricey to invest in glassware, but it is a little luxury I find worthwhile. Champagne flutes are a timeless and elegant addition to your home bar.
Related: My Top 5 Essential Kitchen Tools
Add 3 tbps of the simple syrup to your glass.
Fill the glass half way with sparkling water.
Rub the swath of grapefruit skin around the rim of your glass and twist it over the drink to add a bit of essence.
Pour in a dash of the cherry juice, just maybe one tablespoon maximum.
Top the glasses with your dainty spiral & santé!
Follow any of the links below to find beautiful glasses, ingredients and other barwares.
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Do you have a favorite mocktail recipe?
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