There’s an art to making a good drink, no matter what’s in it. Fresh ingredients, when thoughtfully prepared, come together to craft a drink that’s the perfect accompaniment to a meal, a gathering with friends, or just “you” time. So give these recipes a try the next time you’re in the mood for something unexpected.
Change of Address
(Created by Eric Nelson; Adapted from Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes For When You’re Not Drinking For Whatever Reason, by Julia Bainbridge*
Ingredients:
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 oz. maple syrup
1 tsp. soy sauce
3 oz. Coca-Cola
Instructions:
Combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a shaker and shake vigorously. Strain, and pour over crushed ice, and top the mixture with Coca-Cola. Garnish with freshly grated cinnamon.
Strawberry Mojito
Ingredients:
1/2 oz. simple syrup
3 oz. soda water
1 oz. fresh lime juice
2 strawberries sliced into halves
Instructions:
Combine the strawberries, simple syrup, and lime juice in a Boston shaker with ice, and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour the contents the mixture carefully into a tall glass, and top it with soda water. Garnish with sliced lime wheel and a sprig of mint.
Tea and Sympathy
Ingredients:
1 oz. black tea honey syrup (recipe below)
1 oz. lemon juice
4 oz. tonic
1 small piece of peeled fresh ginger
Instructions:
At the bottom of a shaker, muddle the fresh ginger. Add the black tea honey syrup, lemon juice, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a tall, ice-filled glass. Top with the tonic water and garnish the drink with a sprig of mint.
Black Tea Honey Syrup:
Combine equal parts freshly made black tea with honey, over medium heat until the honey has completely dissolved. pour into a bottle or jar and refrigerate.
* – Check out this excellent interview by Matt Rodbard with Julia Bainbridge from tastecooking.com.