I can use a drink and today calls for our favorite bombastic writer, Ray! Without further ado I bring you November’s Mocktail Monday via Mr. Peraino.
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, we’ll all soon be attending parties with friends and family. I don’t know about your family and friends, but with mine, this time of year calls for a drink … or three.
We’re going to mix up some incredible mocktails, real ones, good ones – mocktails that are rewarding and enjoyable. The best part, all of these will rely heavily on that seasonally available sparkling apple cider — you know the one I’m talking about, with its italicized scripted label over an emerald green bottle, ubiquitously available at every supermarket this time of year.
Got it? Great, let’s jazz that up into something so Gatsbyesque that it’ll feel like you’re gulping down the gilded age by the glass. It is almost the 20s again.
Here are three recipes that I think are perfect for this time of year. They’re familiar enough flavors to complement your holiday meals, but unique enough to be enjoyed on their own or with friends.
Apple & Sage Fizz
Ingredients
(4 servings)
1 tbsp honey
2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
16 oz sparkling apple cider
6 leaves sage
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
ice
Directions
- In a cocktail shaker muddle the sage leaves. Next grate in some fresh nutmeg (note: fresh nutmeg is potent stuff) add the honey and lemon juice.
- Add a few ice cubes and add a little bit of the sparkling apple cider
- (approx. 2oz) and stir it all together very well with a cocktail spoon.
- Fill highball glasses with ice and strain your delightful mixture over the ice cubes distributing evenly among glasses
- Top off with the remaining chilled apple cider
The Sweet Apple Sparkle
(Sparkling Cider w/ Rosemary & Thyme Mocktail)
Makes: about 2 quarts
Ingredients
4 cups apple cider
2 cups Sparkling cider
1 cup club soda
4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 oz raw sugar
4 oz filtered water
12-16 Fresh thyme sprigs
1-2 Fresh rosemary springs
Apple slices for garnish
Instructions
- First, make a simple syrup: combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat stirring until all sugar had dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add sprigs of thyme & rosemary. Let cool.
- You can transfer this to a container
- In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir well. Add simple syrup to taste.
- Pour over ice and garnish with apple slices and thyme sprigs.
The Honey Lemon Sparkler
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons filtered water
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups Sparkling Cider
2 lemon wheels (garnish)
Instructions
- Combine the honey and water in a small bowl or ramekin and heat it in microwave for 20 -30 seconds to make a quick simple syrup.
- Remove from microwave and let cool in the refrigerator.
- While syrup is cooling, split lemon juice evenly between two champagne flutes.
- Pour equal amounts of honey simple syrup into each champagne flute atop lemon juice.
- Top off each glass with sparkling cider, garnish with lemon wheel serve.
This guy and his lemon wheels, am I right? No alcohol, no problem.
Mix it. Post it. Tag it. Drink it. Like it. Share it. @motherhoodmaternity #mocktailmonday
Bottoms up!
– Dai & Ray
