Kick off the New Year with a new reason to raise a toast: it’s National Mocktail Week. The second full week of January (January 13-19) has been officially named National Mocktail Week, recognizing the desire by a growing number of Americans who are increasingly mindful of alcohol consumption habits and seeking alternatives to traditional drinks.
National Mocktail Week supports and celebrates the decision to drink non-alcoholic cocktails and encourages friends and family to do the same. The movement is spearheaded by Founder Marnie Rae. 15 years ago, Marnie got sober and it didn’t take long for her to realize that fun, delicious, grown-up cocktails were not an option in most of the hospitality world. Marnie founded National Mocktail Week as just one aspect of her movement to make Mocktails a standard on the drink menu.
“There is a growing trend calling for Mocktails to be served with greater frequency and fanfare in restaurants and in the home. With so many Americans choosing for a variety of reasons to lead an alcohol-free lifestyle, it makes sense that the call for Mocktails is on the rise and is not being ignored by those in the hospitality business,” said Marnie. “I believe the mocktail movement is about so much more than the drink – it’s about making guests feel welcome at our establishments and included in the moment.”
A Mocktail is a non-alcoholic cocktail which can consist of a wide range of ingredients like fruit juices, drinking vinegars, tea-based syrups and homemade bitters or shrub, herbs and spices, soda and other elements. While the trend may seem new, some favorite mocktails are not. A ‘Shirley Temple’ and ‘Roy Rogers’ have been around for decades, but primarily associated for those under the legal drinking age. Now with the number of Americans choosing not to drink alcohol but still socializing and enjoying going out for a meal, the need for better and more mocktails on the menu is needed.
While the reason for choosing to abstain from alcohol is personal and ranges from sobriety to wellness to pregnancy and religion (or how about those designated drivers) a person’s beverage selection remains thirst quenching.
Here is a Mocktail recipe – Pear Perfection that is so good, who will miss the alcohol?
Pear Perfection – serves 12
Photo credit: Effie Gurmeza
Ingredients:
4 peeled, sliced pears
1 1/2 TBS Fresh, finely grated ginger
1/2 tsp Cardamom
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Vanilla bean paste
2 TBS Honey
3 TBS Dark brown sugar
Method:
Bring to a light boil on medium heat.
At boil, immediately cover and turn to low for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let sit covered for 20 minutes.
Uncover and remove from heat.
Allow to cool.
Blend well.
To Serve
Combine 2 oz of base + 6 oz soda water in a shaker.
Shake well. Strain into martini glass or serve over ice.
Rim sugar-cinnamon a sugar-cinnamon mixture and a bare pinch of ground cardamom.
Classic Bubbly
Photo credit: Effie Gurmeza
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups pomegranate juice
1 cup frozen raspberries
4 tbsp. vanilla bean paste
5 drops lemon extract
5 drops orange extract
2 pomegranates worth of pips
Method:
In a large saucepan, add all ingredients but the pom seed.
Bring to light simmer over medium-low heat.
Simmer for approximately 25 minutes.
Let cool.
Blend well in a blender to incorporate all ingredients.
Add soda/sparkling water to taste.
Garnish with pom seeds!
Photo credit: Effie Gurmeza
The next two recipes are courtesy of TownandCountrymagazine.com!
Tahitian Coffee (Serves 2)
Created by Jim Kearns at Slowly Shirley in New York City
photo by NICK VORDERMAN
Ingredients:
2 oz lime juice
2 oz orange
1 oz simple syrup*
1 oz passion fruit puree
2 oz guava puree
2 oz cold brew concentrate
3 oz honey syrup**
16 oz ice
Instructions:
Divide recipe between 2 tins and blend with measured ice.
Pour into a 12 oz vessel. Garnish with orchids and grated coffee.
*Instructions for simple syrup:
Add 1 pound of organic cane sugar to 1 pound of water. Shake and stir vigorously until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Do not cook. Keep refrigerated.
**Instructions for honey syrup:
Mix 3 parts honey to 1 part hot water, by weight. Shake and stir until syrup reaches uniform dilution. Keep refrigerated.
Virgin Watermelon Margarita
Recipe from FoodDoneLight
Photo courtesy of Food Done Light!
Ingredients:
1 medium seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
.5 cup fresh lime juice
4 tsps agave
5 tbsp sparkling water
Instructions:
In a blender, puree enough watermelon chunks so that you have 4 cups of watermelon puree.
Add lime juice and agave and mix again.
Pour into 4 cups.
Top with sparkling water.
Everyone is encouraged to choose a mocktail over a cocktail during National Mocktail Week and show support needed to continue a healthy lifestyle. Better yet, give a new Mocktail a try!
“My goal is to educate and empower both sides of the bar on the importance of offering a crafted, delicious mocktail for those that don’t drink. Gone are the days of soda or iced tea in a pint glass with a straw,” adds Marnie.
About Marnie Rae
Marnie, the Founder of National Mocktail Week, is dedicated to bringing Mocktails to the forefront of entertaining and hospitality. She holds a firm belief that the Mocktail movement is about a much bigger picture than a beverage. It is about making people feel welcome, included, thought of, and a part of something.
For more information visit http://www.marnierae.com
Follow Marnie Rae on these social platforms:
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/marnieraec
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marnieraec/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marnie_clark1/
Use #NationalMocktailWeek to share recipes and experience the best that Mocktails have to offer!
I love all these “mocktail” recipes. They all sound really tasty. Mocktails are easy to do if you are creative in the kitchen.
Happy New Year!
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
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