MOCKTAILS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR DRY JANUARY

It’s officially January, the never-ending party festivities have sadly come to an end, and it’s now time for a fresh start.

The coming of January also brings the month of Dry January. Where people decide to give up alcohol for a month, which was created by Alcohol Concern to take control of your drinking, and drive a conversation around alcohol.

For those of you participating in Dry January, then check out our mocktails that will be a great substitute for alcoholic drinks this month.

The Dry (Jan) Martini (Courtesy of Lucky Voice)

Ingredients 

• Honey Nectar Syrup (1-1/2 Tablespoons)
• Fresh Lemon Juice Squeezed from 4 lemon wedges
• Fresh Mint (6 leaves)
• Fresh Basil (4 leaves)
• Fresh Orange Juice (shot)
• Fresh Apple Juice to fill

Method

1. Add all the ingredients together and then fill with apple juice.

Raspberry Ripple

Ingredients

• 1 egg cup of Belvoir Raspberry & Lemon Cordial
• 1 egg cup of lemon juice
• 1 chunk of watermelon about the size of an orange
• 2 egg cups of cloudy apple juice

Method

1. Blend all the above and strain throw a tea strainer in to a glass filled with large chunks of ice.

And if you are feeling a little dangerous, add a tablespoon of honey and a slice of red birds eye chilli about the size of a baby finger nail.

Belvoir’s Black and Blue Fruit Fool 

Ingredients

• 1-part Belvoir Blueberry and Blackcurrant cordial
• 1-part lemon juice
• 2 parts pineapple juice

Method

1. Shake with ice and strain in to a chilled cocktail glass
2. Garnish by sprinkling some crushed frozen raspberries onto the froth on top of the drink formed by the shaking.

Spice Tea Sour (Created by Adrien Russotto, Bar Manager at Henson’s Bar)

Ingredients

• 60ml Goji berry & cranberry tea (can be substituted for an additional fruit berry tea if required)
• 20ml Lime juice
• 2tsp Whole Earth Sweetener Co. Honey & Stevia Blend
• 1 slice of fresh red chilli
• 1 egg white

Method

1. Place the tea, lime, Whole Earth Sweetener Co. Honey and Stevia Blend, chilli and egg white in a cocktail shaker
2. Dry shake (without ice) to enable the egg white to develop a foamy/meringue like texture
3. Open the shaker, add the ice cubes and shake again for around 10 seconds
4. Double strain in a cocktail glass over ice and add a dusting of tea on the top for garnish

Mediterranean Virgin Caesar

Ingredients:

• 60ml Clamato Juice
• 15ml Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 Grinds Fresh Cracked Salt and Black Pepper

Method

1. Rim a chilled glass with celery salt & lemon pepper
2. Add all ingredients to the glass and top up with ice
3. Stir & garnish

Garnish

Cherry tomatoes and cheese-stuffed olive on a skewer, Capers, Sprig of Rosemary

Apple and Elderflower Fizz Mocktail (For more mocktail recipes, visit Waitrose)

Ingredients

• 100ml Waitrose Pressed English Apple Juice
• 25ml fresh lemon juice
• 15ml Monin Gum sugar syrup, or see tip below
• Top with Waitrose Sparkling Cox Apple and Elderflower Refresher
• Green apple slices, halved, to garnish

Method

1. Shake the juices and syrup over ice and strain into an ice-filled sling (or highball) glass, top with the refresher.
2. Garnish with apple slices on the glass rim.

Peach and Raspberry Syrup (For more mocktail recipes, visit Waitrose)

Ingredients

• 4kg peaches, stoned and chopped
• 450g raspberries
• 550g granulated sugar

Method

1. In a pan, heat the peaches and raspberries in 560ml water. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the fruit has completely broken down.
2. Line a colander with muslin and sit it over a large bowl. Pour in the strawberry mixture, then tie the corners of the muslin, remove the colander and suspend the muslin over the bowl. Leave the mixture to strain into the bowl overnight.
3. Pour the strained juice into a clean pan, stir in the sugar and heat gently until dissolved. Bring to the boil and bubble for a few minutes until slightly syrupy, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Transfer to sterilised bottles with a heatproof funnel and seal.

Iced Mint Tea

Ingredients 

• Juice of 2 lemons
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons of clear honey or more if a sweeter taste is required
• 3 drops Peppermint Spice Drops®
• 3 drops Mint Spice Drops®
• 3 drops Lemongrass Spice Drops®

Method

1. Preparation: Make a large pot of strong black tea, equivalent to 8 cups. Loose tea leaves give a better taste and to make a good brew, use 1 tablespoon of tea leaves per 200 ml of water; teabag can be used as well, instead of tea leaves.
2. Leave to steep for at least 10 minutes in the pot.
3. Strain to remove tea leaves and let the brewed liquid cool down slightly before you add the juices.
4. Add the juice of lemons and limes, honey, all the Spice Drops® and stir well.
5. Add ice in a jug and transfer the prepared mint tea into it. Garnished with fresh mint and slices of lime.

As an alternative, swap the Mint and Peppermint for 6 drops of Ginger Spice Drops®. Ginger, lemongrass and lemon refreshing flavours.

Piña Colada

Pina Colada’s are perfectly refreshing, and with this recipe it makes a fab mocktail!

Ingredients 

• 150ml Alpro Coconut Original drink
• 90g fresh pineapple peeled and chopped
• Squeeze of lime or 10ml of lime juice
• Sprig of mint

Method

1. Add the Alpro Coconut Original, fresh pineapple and lime juice into a blender
2. Blend until smooth
3. Pour into a glass and serve

Top tip

Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint

Passion Fruit Martini (Courtesy of Kenwood)

Ingredients

• 3 large passion fruits
• 100ml pineapple juice
• 1 shot of sugar syrup
• Ice cubes

Method

1. Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out the flesh into a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the pineapple juice and sugar syrup to the cocktail shaker.
3. Put a good scoop of ice cubes into your Kenwood Blend-X Pro and crush using the ice-crushing programme. Spoon into the cocktail shaker and shake well.
4. Pour into chilled martini glasses.

Not a Mojito (Courtesy of Kenwood)

Ingredients

• 4 Green Apples
• 1 Handful Mint
• ½ Lime
• 10 Ice Cubes

Method

1. Ensure the apples are at room temperature.
2. Clean the apples and peel the lime.
3. Cut and trim the ingredients to fit the Kenwood PureJuice feed tube
4. Wrap half of the mint leaves into a ball just before juicing.
5. Juice the ingredients one at a time, in the order listed.
6. Pour the juice into a tall glass.
7. Bruise the remaining mint leaves and finish by stirring them into the drink.