Non Alcoholic Concoctions

As someone who doesn’t drink alcohol I appreciate a decent muddled drink with fresh fruit, sometimes with superfoods ingredients using frozen fruits for a slow melting slush which exotically enhances natural flavours or a subtle tea flavour base which gives it an interesting mellow aftertaste with whatever concoction you decide to add to it. You can discover and experiment yourself and invent your own punch, spritzers, coolers, cordials. The possibilities are endless.

When hosting a dinner party you have to be meticulous with timing when preparing food and drinks, I usually will have a jug filled with a cocktail mix left out which has been kept in the fridge and made the night before with Yuzu jam and elderflower cordial. Ready to drink mocktails on the other hand need a bit more pre-prep which I usually do a week beforehand and then make the drinks fresh on the day just before guest arrival. That is for smaller groups and gatherings that are easier to manage, anymore than 5 people and I will just stick a few labelled jugs out for people to help themselves with a stack of pretty paper cups from the Liberty Meri Meri range.

Last time I prepared a range of mocktails was for a breakfast gathering, I had my guests turn up as soon as the school run had been finished and made sure everything was ready upon arrival. Here are the following drinks that I chucked together. Alongside the drinks we ate a one pot breakfast bake, which I created with eggs, hash browns and smoked salmon. Quick and easy and went down really well. Recipe of which I may share in another post but for now here are the non alcoholic cocktail recipes.

Recipes:

Each recipe approximately makes around four drinks

Pina Colada

2 cups pineapple juice ice cubes

2 cups coconut water

Method: Blend together until smooth, more coconut water if needed and serve in a tumbler garnished with coriander leaves

Cranberry Martini

1 cup frozen cranberry juice ice cubes

1 cup cranberry juice

1 cup lemonade spritzer

Method: Blend together until smooth, add more cranberry juice if needed. Garnish with frozen blueberries on a toothpick

Passion Fruit Cooler

1 shot of passion fruit syrup

1 shot of Elderflower cordial

2 cups water

Ice cubes

Method: Muddle together in a jug no need to blend, garnish with frozen berries on a skewer

Mojito

Monins mojito syrup

1 fresh lime juice

3 cups Lemonade spritzer

Crushed mint Leaves

Method: Muddle together in a jug and serve garnished with mint leaves

Things to Pre-Prep

Ice cube trays of fruit juice

Ice cubes

Frozen fruit on a skewers, I like using blueberries and raspberries

Equipment you will need:

Mixing jug

Blender/smoothie maker

Ice cube tray

Wooden skewers

Toothpicks

Wine glasses

Champagne flutes

martini glasses

shot glasses

Crystal tumblers