Tropicaghia ~ Mocktail

Tropicaghia ~ Mocktail

The growing trend among people who formerly enjoyed an alcoholic cocktail, or a glass of wine socially or with a meal, now enjoy non-alcoholic drinks referred to as mocktails.  This mocktail has an earthy but so refreshing flavor.  It won't disappoint anyone being served.

Ingredients:
2 oz. Ghia
1 1/2 oz fresh pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz. sparkling water
1/2 oz Yuzu juice
1/2 ounce orange juice
1/2 ounce grapefruit juice
Orange slice or lemon slice for garnish

Directions:
Mix the Ghia, pineapple juice, and yuzu juice and splash of sparkling water in a highball glass. Stir and serve on the rocks. Garnish with an orange slice.

Winter Vanilla & Sage Paloma

Winter Vanilla & Sage Paloma Mocktail

A refreshing grapefruit Paloma with a wintery twist! Elevate your mocktail game with a simple homemade syrup infused with sage and vanilla bean.  Very welcoming if you did a "Dry January".
Ingredients
Vanilla And Sage Simple Syrup
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) water
4 sage leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 vanilla bean, split
Mocktail
2 oz grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 oz vanilla & sage simple syrup
1 pinch salt
2 oz grapefruit sparkling water
Sliced grapefruit to garnish
Sage sprig to garnish
Directions:
For the simple syrup, in a saucepan over medium heat stir together sugar, water, sage and vanilla bean. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature before straining. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.

In a cocktail glass filled with ice add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup and salt. Stir to combine. Finish with grapefruit soda. Garnish with sliced grapefruit and sage sprig.
Syrup makes 1 drink; 1/2 cup (125 mL) simple

Preserved Lemon Paloma

Preserved Lemon Paloma

Preserved lemon adds a slight saltiness and refined funkiness that enhances the complexity and sharpness of a lighter pour of tequila in this low-alcohol drink. If the (edible) rind of the preserved lemons is still firm, don’t incorporate it into the purée: just scrape out the soft centres, leaving any seeds behind.

Ingredients

1/2 oz blanco tequila, such as 1800 Blanco Tequila
4 oz Preserved Lemon & Grapefruit Juice (recipe follows), see TIP
Edible Flower Ice Cubes (optional, recipe follows)
2 oz chilled high-quality grapefruit soda, like Fever-Tree
1 oz chilled grapefruit-flavoured sparkling water (optional)
2 grapefruit triangles for garnish

Directions:
Pour tequila and juice into a chilled rocks glass. Add ice cubes, or Edible Flower Ice Cubes, to fill to two thirds and stir to chill. 

Pour in grapefruit soda and grapefruit sparkling water, if using. Stir.Garnish with grapefruit triangles. Makes 1 drink

TIP Find preserved lemons at Middle Eastern grocery stores or online (amazon.ca). Whole pickled Lemons from Middle Eastern grocers— Not South Asian lemon (or lime) pickle!— make a good substitute. You can also find a recipe to make your own.LCBO.com/fdspring24.

Preserved Lemon & Grapefruit Juice
Using a mortar and pestle, crush the soft centers and tender rinds of preserved lemons (minus the seeds) until you have 1 tbsp (15 mL) soft 
    purée. Add it to a blender along with 
2 cups (500 mL) freshly squeezed red grapefruit juice,
2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice and
2 tbsp (30 mL) agave syrup,
blending 15 to 20 seconds to mix thoroughly. Place in a jar with a
tightly fitting lid and refrigerate 5 to 7 days.
Makes 2 1/3 cups (580 mL) juice, enough for 4 drinks

Edible Flower Ice Cubes
To make this gorgeous ice, you just need edible flowers and distilled water. Edible flowers include dandelions, lilacs, mums, nasturtiums, violets, pansies and orchids. Most gourmet shops will carry them, though it’s far more economical to grow them yourself. You could also use small herb sprigs or leaves. Distilled water, which you can find at Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws under the PC brand, will make clearer ice than tap water, which has minerals and impurities that cloud ice.

First, bring distilled water to a boil and let it cool to room temperature. Trim any stems from the flowers and gently wash them. Lay out ice cube trays of various sizes, if you have them. Silicone trays are preferable—the cubes are far less likely to break when you pop them out. Fill as many moulds as you need just a hair more than halfway with the prepared water. Place the flowers in, bloom side up, and poke down with a skewer. (It’s fine if they float back up.) Place trays in the freezer so they lay perfectly flat. Freeze until solid, which can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours. Top up the cubes with more of the prepared water until almost full and return to freezer. When solid, carefully pop them out and transfer to freezer bags. Cubes will keep in the freezer up to 1 month.

Fruit Juice Cooler .....

Fruit Juice Cooler

Keep the juices and sparkling water chilling in the refrigerator for spur of the moment refresher.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups peach nectar, chilled

1/2 cup orange juice, chilled

1/4 cup grapefruit juice, chilled

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 cups sparkling water, chilled ice cubes

star fruit or orange slices, optional

***

Directions:

In a pitcher, stir together the peach nectar, orange juice, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice. Slowly stir in the sparkling water. Serve the juice cooler over ice if you like, garnish with star fruit or orange slices. Makes four 8 oz. servings.